Just Java™ 2

byte

The byte type is an 8-bit, signed, two's-complement quantity. The reasons for using byte are to hold a generic 8-bit value, to match a value in existing data files, or to economize on storage space where you have a large number of such values. Despite popular belief, there is no speed advantage in arithmetic on shorter types like bytes, shorts, or chars—modern CPUs take the same amount of time to load or multiply 8 bits as they take for 32 bits.

example declaration:

byte heightOfTide;

range of values: –128 to 127

literals: There are no byte literals. You can use, without a cast, int literals provided their values fit in 8 bits. You can use char, long, and floating-point literals if you cast them.

You always have to cast a (non-literal) ...