What is the use of import statement in Java?

The import statement makes the classes of a package available to the program, so they can be used without writing their full package name each time.

Example: import java.util.Scanner; lets you write Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in); instead of java.util.Scanner sc = new java.util.Scanner(System.in);

State the purpose and give the example — both are needed for full marks. Two points that show fuller understanding: import java.util.*; brings in every class of that package, and java.lang is imported automatically, which is why String, Math and the wrapper classes need no import at all. The import goes at the very top of the file, before the class definition.