How does non-static method access static members in java?

Question

Consider this:

class SomeClass
{
   static int a;
   int method()
   {
      int b = a;
      return b;
   }
}

How does a is being accessed in method? Is it this.a or someClass.a?

EDIT: Sorry if I'm not clear in my question. What I want to know is: *Is there a hidden this or someClass associated with a [in method] or is it simply a [in method] that is accessing the class member?

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17242649/can-non-static-methods-modify-static-variables — Viraj Nalawade, Oct 15 '15 at 12:39
since its a `static` variable its value is always same, irrespective of how you are trying to access it, you will get same value for `this.a`, `SomeClass.a` or just `a` — Sajan Chandran, Oct 15 '15 at 12:57
One can consider it a single class member, also accessed as `SomeClass.a`. — Joop Eggen, Oct 15 '15 at 12:59

Bathsheba · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-15T12:44:02.250

2

It's just a: the same field for any instance of the class. You can write someClass.a if you need an explicit disambiguation.

Consider carefully why you would want a non-static method that returns a static member though: it seems like a code "smell" to me.

edited Oct 15 '15 at 12:44

answered Oct 15 '15 at 12:38

Bathsheba

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score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:31

1

I will edit your example in order to make it look a little bit more right:

public class SomeClass
{
   private static int a = 1;
   public int method()
   {
      int b = a;
      return b;
   }
}

int b = a; is equal to int b = SomeClass.a;

Don't be confused with this - it is a reference to an object. Static fields belong to a class, not to an object, so it is incorrect to get a with this.a

And, as already mentioned here:

Instance methods can access class variables and class methods directly.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:31

Community

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answered Oct 15 '15 at 12:44

hammelion

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1

*so it is impossible to get `a` with `this.a`* - Sure? – Aleksandr M Oct 15 '15 at 13:52

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 15 '15 at 12:38

0

If you're inside the class you can access it by just calling a

From any other class you'll receive this static member by using someClass.a

answered Oct 15 '15 at 12:38

Parker_Halo

505
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Or by calling it through an instance, but that is just bad coding. – Stultuske Oct 15 '15 at 12:40

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 15 '15 at 13:29

0

As long as the static member is public, you can use "SomeClass.a" from any class. For private members, create an accessor method if you really need to access the member and from within the class, just specify it as "a".

answered Oct 15 '15 at 13:29

MrPublic

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How does non-static method access static members in java?

4 Answers4