why do I get error if I remove the dots between int and number?

Question

//what does the trailing dots mean?

static void add(int...numbers) {
    int sum = 0;
    for(int num:numbers)
    {
        if(sum !=0){
            System.out.print("+");
        }
        sum+=num;
        System.out.print(num);
    }
    System.out.println("="+sum);
}

You are expected to put some effort into your post (there's [posting guidelines](/help/how-to-ask) for a reason). If you don't, folks have no reason to put effort into answering. — Mike 'Pomax' Kamermans, Jun 27 '21 at 06:25
because 'int...numbers' is an array, if you remove the dots will be just a simple 'int' and you can't iterate an 'int' — Emerson Micu, Jun 27 '21 at 06:26
[Varargs](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/technotes/guides/language/varargs.html) — MadProgrammer, Jun 27 '21 at 06:27
Have a look : [varargs in Java](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3158730/what-do-3-dots-next-to-a-parameter-type-mean-in-java) — GURU Shreyansh, Jun 27 '21 at 06:27
`...` basically mean`varargs` that is a collection/arrays of value — slier, Jun 27 '21 at 06:30

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 27 '21 at 06:28

why do I get error if I remove the dots between int and number?

The dots say that this is a "varargs" parameter; i.e. you can have multiple values; see What do 3 dots next to a parameter type mean in Java?

As a consequence, the actual type of numbers in your example is int[] within the method body.

So, when you remove the ..., the type changes to int. And that means that

    for(int num:numbers)

is invalid because an single int is not iterable.

why do I get error if I remove the dots between int and number?

1 Answers1