Defining Methods (The Java™ Tutorials > Learning the Java Language > Classes a... - The Diigo Meta page

• 24 Aug 09
  

  Lance Pedersen
  • method declaration are the method's return type, name, a pair of parentheses,  (), and a body between braces, {}.
  • Definition: Two of the components of a method declaration  comprise the method signature—the method's name and the parameter types.
  • calculateAnswer(double, int, double, double)
  • the first letter of each of the second and following words should be  capitalized. Here are some examples:
  • a method might have the same name as other methods due to method  overloading.
  • This means that methods within a class can have the same name if they have  different parameter lists (there are some qualifications to this that will  be discussed in the lesson titled "Interfaces and Inheritance").
  • Thus, the data drawing class might declare four methods named draw,  each of which has a different parameter list.
  • You cannot declare more than one method with the same name and the same number  and type of arguments, because the compiler cannot tell them apart.
  • Note: Overloaded methods should be used sparingly, as they  can make code much less readable.

  7 more annotations...

• 21 Mar 09
  

  Kalyani

  Two of the components of a method declaration comprise the method signature—the method's name and the parameter types

  java

  • Two of the components of a method declaration comprise the  method signature—the method's name and the parameter types
  • Two of the components of a method declaration comprise the  method signature—the method's name and the parameter types
  • Two of the components of a method declaration comprise the  method signature—the method's name and the parameter types
  • method overloading
  • This means that methods within a class can have the same name if they have different parameter lists
  • The compiler  does not consider return type when differentiating methods,  so you cannot declare two methods with the same signature  even if they have a different return type.

  4 more annotations...

• 10 Feb 09
  

  Roy Jensen
  • Defining Methods

     

     <!---Defining Methods---> Here is an example of a typical method declaration: 

    public double calculateAnswer(double wingSpan, int numberOfEngines, double length, double grossTons) { 	//do the calculation here } 

      The only required elements of a method declaration are the  method's return type, name, a pair of parentheses, (), and a body between braces, {}.

  • More generally, method declarations have six components, in order: 

     
    1. Modifiers—such as public, private, and others you will learn about later. 
     
    2. The return type—the data type of the value returned by the method, or void if the method does not return a value. 
     
    3. The method name—the rules for field names apply to method names as well, but the convention is a little different. 
     
    4. The parameter list in parenthesis—a comma-delimited list of input parameters, preceded by their data types,  enclosed by parentheses, (). If there are no parameters, you must use empty parentheses. 
     
    5. An exception list—to be discussed later. 
     
    6. The method body, enclosed between braces—the method's code, including the declaration of local variables, goes here.
  • Definition: Two of the components of a method declaration comprise the  method signature—the method's name and the parameter types.

  • Naming a Method

       Although a method name can be any legal identifier, code conventions restrict method names. By convention, method names  should be a verb in lowercase or a multi-word name that begins with a verb in lowercase, followed by adjectives, nouns, etc.  In multi-word names, the first letter of each of the second and following words should be capitalized. Here are some examples: 

    run runFast getBackground getFinalData compareTo setX isEmpty 
  • Typically, a method has a unique name within its class. However, a method might  have the same name as other methods due to method overloading.

  • Overloading Methods

      

     The Java programming language supports overloading methods, and Java can  distinguish between methods with different method signatures. This means that methods within a class can have the same name if they have different parameter lists (there are some qualifications to this that  will be discussed in  the lesson titled  "Interfaces and Inheritance"). 
  • Overloaded methods are differentiated by the number and  the type of the arguments passed into the method. In the  code sample, draw(String s) and draw(int i)  are distinct and unique methods because they require different  argument types.  

     You cannot declare more than one method with  the same name and the same number and type of arguments,  because the compiler cannot tell them apart. 

     The compiler  does not consider return type when differentiating methods,  so you cannot declare two methods with the same signature  even if they have a different return type. 
  • Note: Overloaded methods should be used sparingly, as they can make code much less readable.

  6 more annotations...

• 09 Oct 08
  

  Wah Lau

  javajava

• 27 Mar 07
  

  Mukesh Soni
  • The Java programming language supports overloading methods, and Java can  distinguish between methods with different method signatures.
  • The compiler  does not consider return type when differentiating methods,  so you cannot declare two methods with the same signature  even if they have a different return type.
  • Overloaded methods are differentiated by the number and  the type of the arguments passed into the method.

  1 more annotation...

• 18 Nov 06
  

  Danny armstrong

  java

  • Definition: Two of the components of a method declaration comprise the  method signature—the method's name and the parameter types.
  •   Overloaded methods are differentiated by the number and  the type of the arguments passed into the method. In the  code sample, draw(String s) and draw(int i)  are distinct and unique methods because they require different  argument types.

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