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Overview of Java Methods

This document discusses different types of methods in Java including instance methods, class methods, getter and setter methods, abstract methods, final methods, native methods, and synchronized methods. It also covers access specifiers like public, private, protected, and package private. Instance methods operate on instance variables of a class and can access class variables. Class methods can be called without creating an instance and use the static keyword. Getter and setter methods retrieve and set private variable values. Abstract and native methods are declared but not defined in a class. Final methods cannot be overridden. Synchronized methods ensure thread-safe access to data. The level of access is most restrictive for private and most open for public.

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Jack Presado
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122 views23 pages

Overview of Java Methods

This document discusses different types of methods in Java including instance methods, class methods, getter and setter methods, abstract methods, final methods, native methods, and synchronized methods. It also covers access specifiers like public, private, protected, and package private. Instance methods operate on instance variables of a class and can access class variables. Class methods can be called without creating an instance and use the static keyword. Getter and setter methods retrieve and set private variable values. Abstract and native methods are declared but not defined in a class. Final methods cannot be overridden. Synchronized methods ensure thread-safe access to data. The level of access is most restrictive for private and most open for public.

Uploaded by

Jack Presado
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Java Methods Overview
  • Instance Methods
  • Class Methods
  • Other Java Methods
  • Access Specifications

METHODS

JAVA
METHODS

METHODS
Used to access and manipulate variables.
Used to set, retrieve, or mutate values stored
in a variable.
It states the type and name of the incoming
parameters. The parameters become local
variables of the method. Local variables may
be primitives or object references.
Types of methods: Instance methods and
Class Methods

INSTANCE METHODS
Methods defined in a class operate on
instance variables of the current instance
of a class.
They can also access the class variables
of that class.
Apart from performing other activities for a
class. Instance method may get or set
values for instance variables.

INSTANCE METHODS
A getter method is used for getting the
value of an instance variable and it
normally begins with the word get.

// Getter Method to retrieve Value in an Instance Variable

INSTANCE METHODS
A setter method can be used to set the value
to private variables. Also called the mutator
method, it begins with the word set.

//Setter Method to set Value in an Instance Variable

// Getter Method to retrieve Value in an Instance Variable

//Setter Method to set Value in an Instance Variable

CLASS METHODS

Certain methods defined in a class can operate


only on class variables.
We can invoke these methods directly using the
class name without creating an instance.
Also called as static methods, it uses static
modifier in the declaration of a static method.
It cannot access instance variables or instance
methods.
Accessing non-static variables or methods from a
static method results in a compile-time error.

CLASS METHODS
It can be used independent of the object. We do
not have to instantiate a class to use its static
method. It can be invoked directly without any
reference to the object of that class.
The main method is a static method, as it should
be used before any object of the class is created.
Static methods can invoke other static methods.

// Usage of static methods defined in Math class

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OTHER JAVA METHODS


o ABSTRACT METHODS
o FINAL METHODS
o NATIVE METHODS
o SYNCHRONIZED METHODS

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ABSTRACT METHODS

abstract modifier is used to denote that


the implementation of a method is not
provided in the class in which the method
is declared.
Abstract methods are declared only inside
an abstract class ( A class declared with
an abstract modifier

FINAL METHODS
A class can inherit variables and methods
defined in another class. The class from which
variables and methods are inherited is called the
super class. The class that inherits is called
the sub-class. A sub-class can provide a
different implementation to a method inherited
from its super class. This is known as method
overriding.
Use the final modifier in the
method declaration if you do not want the
method to be overridden by its sub-classes.

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NATIVE METHODS
When we want to use a library of functions
modifier written in another language such
as C or C++, we use the native modifier to
specify that the implementation of this
method was not done in Java.

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SYNCHRONIZED METHODS
In a multi-threaded environment, many
threads may be operating on the same
data simultaneously. The methods that
are used to operate on the data
simultaneously
are
declared
as
synchronized, to ensure that information
accessed by the threads is controlled and
is done in a thread-safe manner.

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ACCESS SPECIFICATIONS
o

The public Access Modifier

The protected Access Modifier

The package Access Modifier

The private Access Modifier

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ACCESS SPECIFICATIONS

PUBLIC ACCESS MODIFIER


public modifier places no restrictions on the
variables and methods. When variables and
methods of a class are declared as public,
then objects of any class can access them.
The accessing class need not be a subclass of the accessed class or present in
the same package as the accessed class. A
totally unrelated class, which is present in a
different package, can also access public
variables and methods of a class.

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PACKAGE ACCESS MODIFIER


package modifier is used when no access level
is specified. If we do not specify the access level
of a variable or a method or a class using the
access modifier, then by default the access level
is assumed to be package access. This means all
the classes that are present in the same package
can access the variables and methods of the
accessed class. A package is similar to a module.
ADA was one of the first language to introduce
the concept of package in programming
languages.

PROTECTED ACCESS
MODIFIER

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protected modifier allows variables and methods


of a class to be accessed by the class in which
they are defined, its sub-classes and other
classes present in that package.
Used if you want to share the information only to
a limited persons (such as your friends and
family) and you do not want anybody else to
know about it.

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PRIVATE ACCESS MODIFIER


private access modifier is used to protect
very confidential information. There may be
instances that you do not want methods or
variables from a particular class to access
certain variables or methods from another
specific class.
Using private variables and methods of a class
provides maximum protection.

Common questions

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Getter and setter methods in Java play a critical role in encapsulation by providing controlled access to an object's instance variables. Getter methods (also known as accessors) retrieve the value of an instance variable, often prefixed by 'get', while setter methods (mutators) set or update the value, often prefixed by 'set'. By using these methods, developers can enforce validation rules or update dependent states, thus contributing to data protection and consistency within an application .

The primary distinction between instance methods and class methods in Java is that instance methods operate on instance variables of the current instance of a class and can access class variables of that class, while class methods, also known as static methods, operate only on class variables and can be invoked directly using the class name without creating an instance of the class. This affects their usage as instance methods are used when operations require object-specific data or behavior, whereas class methods are used when the operation pertains to the class as a whole and does not rely on individual object data .

Synchronized methods are crucial in a Java application when dealing with a multi-threaded environment where multiple threads need to operate on the same data simultaneously. Using synchronized methods ensures that these operations are done in a thread-safe manner, preventing data inconsistency due to concurrent modifications and ensuring that information accessed by the threads is controlled .

The use of the 'final' modifier in method declarations in Java prevents the method from being overridden by any sub-classes. This means that sub-classes must use the implementation provided in the super class, thereby preserving the method's behavior across different parts of the application and ensuring consistent functionality .

The 'package' access level, used when no access modifier is specified, allows classes within the same package to access each other's variables and methods. It facilitates modular development by grouping related classes, similar to modules, and controlling their interactions. Compared to 'public', which grants unrestricted access, 'package' access is more restrictive, promoting internal communication within logical units. In contrast, 'protected' extends visibility to subclasses outside the package, while 'private' limits access to within the defining class itself, offering the most restricted access control .

Using the 'private' access modifier for class variables and methods in Java provides the highest level of protection by ensuring that these variables and methods cannot be accessed by any other classes, even those within the same package or sub-classes. This allows developers to protect very confidential information and restrict access to sensitive data or functionality to within the class itself .

The 'native' modifier in Java is used to denote that a method is implemented in another language, such as C or C++. It might be used in a project to leverage existing libraries or functionalities written in other languages, allowing Java programs to interface with those languages for operations or performance optimizations that are impractical to implement directly in Java .

A method is declared as 'abstract' in Java when it is not implemented in the class where it is declared, requiring that any subclasses provide their own implementation. This is typically done in an abstract class, a class that cannot be instantiated on its own. The implications of this designation are that it enforces a contract for subclasses to implement specific behavior, promoting consistency in subclass implementations while allowing for flexible, polymorphic designs .

Java's 'protected' access modifier allows class variables and methods to be accessed by subclasses and other classes within the same package, facilitating controlled sharing of information. It is typically used when developers want to share information with related classes, such as subclasses and classes that are considered part of a closely-knit group, while still restricting access from unrelated classes .

The 'public' access modifier affects the design of a class by making its variables and methods accessible from any other class, regardless of package or subclass relationships, thus enhancing the usability of the class as it can be widely used and reused across different parts of an application or even in different applications. However, this broad accessibility can pose security risks as it potentially exposes sensitive data or critical methods to unwanted manipulation, necessitating meticulous design and validation to mitigate misuse .

METHODS JAVA METHODS
METHODS METHODS • Used to access and manipulate variables. • Used to set, retrieve, or mutate values stored in a variable. •
INSTANCE METHODS INSTANCE METHODS • Methods defined in a class operate on instance variables of the current instance of a c
INSTANCE METHODS INSTANCE METHODS • A getter method is used for getting the value of an instance variable and it normally b
INSTANCE METHODS INSTANCE METHODS • A setter method can be used to set the value to private variables. Also called the muta
// Getter Method to retrieve Value in an Instance Variable //Setter Method to set Value in an Instance Variable 6
CLASS METHODS • Certain methods defined in a class can operate only on class variables. • We can invoke these methods direct
CLASS METHODS CLASS METHODS • It can be used independent of the object. We do not have to instantiate a class to use its st
// Usage of static methods defined in Math class 9
Prepared by: Jyr Marie V. Reyes 10

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