title: JRE 32bit vs 64bit
body: <p>I've been using Java for a while now, and my typical ritual of setting up a new dev machine requires the norm of downloading and installing the latest JDK from Oracle's site. </p>
  
  <p>This prompted an unusual question today, <code>does it matter if I use the 32bit or 64bit JRE bundle?</code></p>
  
  <p>From thinking back on it, I've installed both versions before and my normal toolchain plugs happily in (Eclipse). In my day-to-day programming, I do not recall ever having to change something or think about something in a different way just because I was using the 64bit JRE (or targetting the 64bit JRE for that respect).</p>
  
  <p>From my understanding of 64bit vs. 32bit - it really boils down to how the numbers are stored underneath the covers... and I do know that <code>int</code> is a 32 bits and <code>long</code> is 64 bits... same with <code>float</code> being 32 bits and <code>double</code> is 64 bits -- so is it just that Java has abstracted even this subtlety away, and perhaps has been "64 bit compatible" all along? </p>
  
  <p>I'm sure I'm missing something here besides not being able to install a 64 bit JRE onto a 32 bit system. </p>