How do I overload a method in Java?

By Wayan in Basic, Java 25 0 Comment

Method overloading lets you define multiple methods with the same name but different parameter lists. You can use it to perform a similar task with different inputs.

In this example, you will create three add() methods to add two integers, three integers, or two floating-point numbers.

Source code

public class MethodOverloadingExample {
    void main() {
        int twoIntegerSum = add(10, 20);
        int threeIntegerSum = add(10, 20, 30);
        double twoDoubleSum = add(2.5, 3.75);

        IO.println("Sum of two integers: " + twoIntegerSum);
        IO.println("Sum of three integers: " + threeIntegerSum);
        IO.println("Sum of two doubles: " + twoDoubleSum);
    }

    int add(int first, int second) {
        return first + second;
    }

    int add(int first, int second, int third) {
        return first + second + third;
    }

    double add(double first, double second) {
        return first + second;
    }
}

Explanation

All three methods are named add(), but their parameter lists differ:

Method Parameters
add(int first, int second) Two integers
add(int first, int second, int third) Three integers
add(double first, double second) Two doubles

When you call an overloaded method, the compiler selects the applicable version based on the number and types of the arguments.

The following call passes two int values:

int twoIntegerSum = add(10, 20);

It selects add(int, int) and returns 30.

This call passes three int values:

int threeIntegerSum = add(10, 20, 30);

It selects add(int, int, int) and returns 60.

Finally, this call passes two double values:

double twoDoubleSum = add(2.5, 3.75);

It selects add(double, double) and returns 6.25.

Run the example

Compile and run the file:

javac MethodOverloadingExample.java
java MethodOverloadingExample

Output

Sum of two integers: 30
Sum of three integers: 60
Sum of two doubles: 6.25

Rules to remember

Overloaded methods must differ in the number, types, or order of their parameter types.

Changing only the parameter names does not create a different overload. Changing only the return type is also insufficient. For example, these two declarations cannot appear together in the same class:

int add(int first, int second) {
    return first + second;
}

double add(int first, int second) {
    return first + second;
}

Both methods have the same name and parameter types, so the compiler reports an error.

How do I override a method in Java?

By Wayan in Basic, Core API 0 Comment

If a subclass has a method that have the same signature with a method in its superclass, then it’s an overriding method. Override inherited methods allow subclasses to provide specialized implementation for those methods. The overriding method has the same name, number and type of arguments, and return value as the method it overrides.

The overriding method can have a different throws clause as long as it doesn’t specify any types not specified by the throws clause in the overridden method. Also, the access specifier for the overriding method can allow more but not less access than the overridden method.

For example, a protected method in the superclass can be made public but not private. A subclass cannot override methods that are declared final in the superclass. A subclass must override methods that are declared abstract in the superclass, or the subclass itself must be abstract.

package org.kodejava.example.fundamental;

public class Car {
    private String type;
    private String brand;
    private String model;
    private int numberOfSeat;

    public Car() {
    }

    public Car(String type, String brand, String model) {
        this.type = type;
        this.brand = brand;
        this.model = model;
    }

    public String getType() {
        return type;
    }

    public void setType(String type) {
        this.type = type;
    }

    public String getBrand() {
        return brand;
    }

    public void setBrand(String brand) {
        this.brand = brand;
    }

    public String getModel() {
        return model;
    }

    public void setModel(String model) {
        this.model = model;
    }

    public int getNumberOfSeat() {
        return numberOfSeat;
    }

    public void setNumberOfSeat(int numberOfSeat) {
        this.numberOfSeat = numberOfSeat;
    }

    public String getCarInfo() {
        return"Type: " + type
                + "; Brand: " + brand
                + "; Model: " + model;
    }
}

In the Truck class we override the getCarInfo() method to provide more information about the truck object. We can also add an @Override annotation to an overriding method.

package org.kodejava.example.fundamental;

public class Truck extends Car {
    private int loadCapacity;

    public Truck() {
    }

    public Truck(String type, String brand, String model) {
        super(type, brand, model);
    }

    public int getLoadCapacity() {
        return loadCapacity;
    }

    public void setLoadCapacity(int loadCapacity) {
        this.loadCapacity = loadCapacity;
    }

    @Override
    public String getCarInfo() {
        return "Type: " + getType()
                + "; Brand: " + getBrand()
                + "; Model: " + getModel()
                + "; Load capacity: " + getLoadCapacity();
    }
}

How do I overload methods in Java?

By Wayan in Basic, Core API 0 Comment

Method overloading allows a method to use the same name or identifier as the method name as long as the argument list is different. Java can differentiate each method by their method signatures. For example to print some value you can create a print method that accept different kind of objects or values as its parameters.

Overloaded method is differentiated by the number and the type of argument they accept. The print(String string) and print(int number) are distinct and unique due to their argument type.

The compiler does not count a return type as a method differentiator. So it is not legal to create a method with the same name, the same number, the same type of argument but with a different return type.

package org.kodejava.basic;

public class OverloadedExample {
    public void print(Object object) {
        System.out.println("object = " + object);
    }

    public void print(String string) {
        System.out.println("string = " + string);
    }

    public void print(int number) {
        System.out.println("number = " + number);
    }

    public void print(float number) {
        System.out.println("number = " + number);
    }

    public void print(double number) {
        System.out.println("number = " + number);
    }
}

How do I annotate a class or method?

By Wayan in Core API, Lang Package 0 Comment

This example show you how to use the HelloAnnotation annotation on the previous example code, How do I create a simple annotation?. We add the HelloAnnotation annotation to our class and its methods.

package org.kodejava.lang.annotation;

@HelloAnnotation(value = "Good Morning", greetTo = "Universe")
public class HelloAnnotationExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        HelloAnnotationExample hello = new HelloAnnotationExample();
        hello.sayHi();
        hello.sayHello();
    }

    @HelloAnnotation(value = "Hi there", greetTo = "Alice")
    private void sayHi() {
    }

    @HelloAnnotation(value = "Hello there", greetTo = "Bob")
    private void sayHello() {
    }
}

How do I invoke a method using Method class?

By Wayan in Reflection 0 Comment

This example demonstrate using reflection to invoke methods of a class object. Using reflection we can call method of an object using the given string name of the method. When using this method we need to catch for the NoSuchMethodException, IllegalAccessException and InvocationTargetException.

package org.kodejava.lang.reflect;

import java.lang.reflect.Method;
import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;

public class InvokingMethod {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        InvokingMethod object = new InvokingMethod();
        Class<? extends InvokingMethod> clazz = object.getClass();

        try {
            // Invoking the add(int, int) method
            Method method = clazz.getMethod("add", int.class, int.class);
            Object result = method.invoke(object, 10, 10);
            System.out.println("Result = " + result);

            // Invoking the multiply(int, int) method
            method = clazz.getMethod("multiply", int.class, int.class);
            result = method.invoke(object, 10, 10);
            System.out.println("Result = " + result);

        } catch (NoSuchMethodException | IllegalAccessException | InvocationTargetException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

    public int add(int numberA, int numberB) {
        return numberA + numberB;
    }

    public int multiply(int numberA, int numberB) {
        return numberA * numberB;
    }
}