[java] compilation error: identifier expected

You must to wrap your following code into a block (Either method or static).

BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
System.out.println("What is your name?");
String name = in.readLine(); ;
System.out.println("Hello " + name);

Without a block you can only declare variables and more than that assign them a value in single statement.

For method main() will be best choice for now:

public class details {
    public static void main(String[] args){
        BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
        System.out.println("What is your name?");
        String name = in.readLine(); ;
        System.out.println("Hello " + name);
    }
}

or If you want to use static block then...

public class details {
    static {
        BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
        System.out.println("What is your name?");
        String name = in.readLine(); ;
        System.out.println("Hello " + name);
    }
}

or if you want to build another method then..

public class details {
    public static void main(String[] args){
        myMethod();
    }
    private static void myMethod(){
        BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
        System.out.println("What is your name?");
        String name = in.readLine(); ;
        System.out.println("Hello " + name);
    }
}

Also worry about exception due to BufferedReader .