Why should my method be static?

Question

Hi I have this piece of code and i am really confused to why i have to make the lel method static.The error is this "non static method cant be referred from static content". Usually when I create methods either to construct new objects or to manipulate objects in the main method I do not get this error message.Plus, i never declared e to be static!!. can someone please explain to me why this occurring?? Thank you :)

class x {

    public static void main(String[]args){

        int e= 2232;

        e= lel(e);

    }

    int lel(int k){
        return k+1;
    }
}

You have two methods. When you read _non static method_, which method does that refer to? — Sotirios Delimanolis, Jul 25 '15 at 00:58
When you read _cant be referenced from static context_, which context do you think that is (given that you have two methods and only one of them is `static`)? — Sotirios Delimanolis, Jul 25 '15 at 00:58
Long story short static methods belong to class and not the object. Now take a look at your code. You are calling the non-static method lel without an object. — Shreyas Chavan, Jul 25 '15 at 01:00
Change your code to `e = new x().lel(e);` -- you've created an _instance_ of `x` through which you can access `lel`, without requiring to change the method to `static`. — Mick Mnemonic, Jul 25 '15 at 01:00
There is nothing in the error message that tells you the method should be static. — user207421, Jul 25 '15 at 01:19

Matt · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-25T01:22:42.580

0

There are two solutions you could implement. The first option is to make your int lel(int k) a static method which would look like static int lel(int k)

Your other option is to declare a new object of your class x and use that for your lel method within main as MickMnemonic suggested in the comments. That code would look like:

e = new x().lel(e);

I believe the simplest thing would be to make the lel method static but it is up to you.

A deeper explanation of static methods can be found here.

edited Jul 25 '15 at 01:22

answered Jul 25 '15 at 01:15

Matt

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'Any code referenced within the main method must also be static' is simply untrue. Otherwise there could never be any non-static methods. Your own suggestion proves the point. – user207421 Jul 25 '15 at 01:20
I was not thinking right when I wrote that, thank you for pointing it out, I removed it from my answer. – Matt Jul 25 '15 at 01:23

Why should my method be static?

1 Answers1