short keyword

Description
The short numeric type represents a 16-bit signed two's-complement integer. The default value of a short instance variable, class variable, and array component  is zero, that is, 0. The value of short is an integer from -32768 to 32767, inclusive.

Example
You can declare a short variable, and give it an initial value when you declare it:

short exampleShort = -15500;
short anotherShort = 40000;	// ILLEGAL.  The value is too large.

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Java types

Source: The Java Language Specification. Copyright (C) 1996 Sun Microsystems, Inc.