Java Tutorial
Operators
Flow Control
String
Number and Date
Built-in Classes
Array
Class and Object
Inheritance and Polymorphism
Exception Handling
Collections, Generics and Enumerations
Reflection
Input/Output Stream
Annotation
In Java, classes and objects are fundamental concepts in object-oriented programming (OOP). A class is a blueprint for creating objects, which are instances of a class. Classes define properties (attributes) and behaviors (methods) that objects can have.
In this tutorial, we will go through the basics of creating and using classes and objects in Java.
To create a class, use the class
keyword followed by the class name. Inside the class, you can define fields and methods. Here's an example:
public class Dog { String name; String breed; int age; void bark() { System.out.println("Woof!"); } void displayInfo() { System.out.println("Name: " + name + ", Breed: " + breed + ", Age: " + age); } }
In this example, we create a Dog
class with three fields (name, breed, and age) and two methods (bark and displayInfo).
To create an object of a class, use the new
keyword followed by the class name and parentheses. Here's an example:
Dog myDog = new Dog();
In this example, we create an object of the Dog
class named myDog
.
To access an object's fields, use the object name followed by the dot (.) operator and the field name. Here's an example:
myDog.name = "Buddy"; myDog.breed = "Golden Retriever"; myDog.age = 3;
In this example, we set the values of the name
, breed
, and age
fields of the myDog
object.
To call an object's methods, use the object name followed by the dot (.) operator and the method name. Here's an example:
myDog.bark(); // Output: Woof! myDog.displayInfo(); // Output: Name: Buddy, Breed: Golden Retriever, Age: 3
In this example, we call the bark()
and displayInfo()
methods of the myDog
object.
Here's the complete example:
public class Main { public static void main(String[] args) { Dog myDog = new Dog(); myDog.name = "Buddy"; myDog.breed = "Golden Retriever"; myDog.age = 3; myDog.bark(); // Output: Woof! myDog.displayInfo(); // Output: Name: Buddy, Breed: Golden Retriever, Age: 3 } }
In summary, classes and objects are core concepts in Java and object-oriented programming. Classes define the structure and behavior of objects, and objects are instances of classes. By using classes and objects, you can create modular, reusable, and well-organized code.
Creating Objects in Java Class Example: Objects are instances of a class. Here's an example of creating objects in Java:
public class Car { String make; String model; public void start() { System.out.println("Car is starting."); } } public class CarExample { public static void main(String[] args) { // Creating objects Car myCar = new Car(); Car friendCar = new Car(); // Accessing object properties and methods myCar.make = "Toyota"; myCar.model = "Camry"; myCar.start(); } }
Instance Variables in Java Classes: Instance variables are fields that belong to each instance of a class. They represent the state of an object.
public class Person { String name; // Instance variable int age; // Instance variable }
Methods in Java Classes and Their Role in Objects: Methods define the behavior of objects. They perform actions and can manipulate the object's state.
public class Circle { double radius; // Instance variable public double calculateArea() { return Math.PI * radius * radius; } }
Java Class and Object Relationships: Classes define blueprints for objects. Objects are instances of classes, and they interact through methods and properties.
public class Dog { String name; int age; public void bark() { System.out.println("Woof! Woof!"); } } public class DogOwner { public static void main(String[] args) { Dog myDog = new Dog(); myDog.name = "Buddy"; myDog.age = 3; myDog.bark(); } }
Access Modifiers for Class Members in Java:
Access modifiers control the visibility of class members. Common modifiers include public
, private
, protected
, and package-private.
public class MyClass { public int publicVar; private String privateVar; protected double protectedVar; int defaultVar; // Package-private by default }
Inheritance and Polymorphism in Java Classes: Inheritance allows a class to inherit properties and methods from another class. Polymorphism enables objects to be treated as instances of their parent class.
public class Animal { public void makeSound() { System.out.println("Animal makes a sound"); } } public class Dog extends Animal { @Override public void makeSound() { System.out.println("Dog barks"); } }
Encapsulation in Java Classes and Objects: Encapsulation involves bundling data and methods within a class, and controlling access to the internal state.
public class BankAccount { private double balance; public void deposit(double amount) { if (amount > 0) { balance += amount; } } public double getBalance() { return balance; } }