Lecture – 7

Static Data and Methods

 Java static keyword
• Java supports definition of global methods and variables that can be
accessed without creating objects of a class. Such members are called
Static members.
• Define a variable by marking with the static keyword .
• This feature is useful when we want to create a variable common to all
instances of a class.
• One of the most common example is to have a variable that could keep a
count of how many objects of a class have been created.
• Note: Java creates only one copy for a static variable which can be used
even if the class is never instantiated.

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 Java static keyword
The static can be:
• Variable (also known as a class variable)
• Method (also known as a class method)
• Block
• Nested class

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 Understanding the Problem without static
Suppose there are 500 students in my college, now all class Student{
instance data members will get memory each time when int rollno;
the object is created. All students have its unique rollno String name;
and name, so instance data member is good in such case. String college="ITS";
Here, "college" refers to the common property of }
all objects. If we make it static, this field will get the
memory only once.

• static is used for a constant variable or a method that is same for

every instance of a class.

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class Student{
int rollno;//instance variable Example
String name;
static String college ="CUI";//static variable Static
Student(int r, String n){
rollno = r;
name = n;
} 111 Ahmad CUI
Student(){} 222 Zainab CUI
//method to display the values
void display (){
System.out.println(rollno+" "+name+" "+college);
}
}
public class StudentTest{
public static void main(String[] args){
Student s1 = new Student(111,"Ahmad");
Student s2 = new Student(222,"Zainab");
s1.display();
s2.display();

}
} 4-5
 Defining Class Variable as Static
public class Circle{
public static int numOfCircles; public class CircleTest{
public static void main(String[] args){
private int radius; Circle c1 = new Circle();
private final double PI = 3.14; c1.setRadius(2);
public Circle(){ System.out.println("C1 Area: "+ c1.getArea());
radius = 0; Circle c2 = new Circle(4);
System.out.println("C2 Area: "+ c2.getArea());
numOfCircles++; System.out.println("So far we have "+
} Circle.numOfCircles+" circle objects");
public void setRadius(int r){
}
this.radius = r; }
}
public Circle(int radius){ C1 = new Circle() C2 = new Circle(2)
this.radius = radius;
numOfCircles++;
}
public double getArea(){
return radius * radius * PI;
} numOfCircles

} 4-6
 Non-static Vs Static Variables

• Non-static variables : One copy per object. Every object has its
own instance variable.
– E.g. radius in the circle

• Static variables : One copy per class.

– E.g. numOfCircles (total number of circle objects created)

7
 Important Points
• Use a static variable when all objects of a class must use the
same copy of the variable.
• Static variables have class scope. We can access a class’s public
static members through a reference to any object of the
class(c1.numOfCircles), or with the class name and a dot
(.)(Circle.numOfCircles)

• A class’s private static class members can be accessed by client

code only through methods of the class.
 Static Methods
• A static method belongs to the class rather than the object of a class.
• A static method can be invoked without the need for creating an
instance of a class.
• A static method can access static data member and can change the
value of it.

9
class Student{
int rollno;//instance variable
String name;
private static String college ="CUI";//static variable
Student(int r, String n){
rollno = r;
name = n;
}
Student(){}
void display (){ 111 Ahmad QAU
System.out.println(rollno+" "+name+" "+college); 222 Zainab QAU
}
public static void changeUni(String uni){
university = uni;
}

public class StudentTest{

public static void main(String[] args){
Student s1 = new Student(111,"Ahmad");
Student s2 = new Student(222,"Zainab");
Student.changeUni("QAU");
s1.display();
s2.display();

}
}
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 Important Points

•They can only call other static methods.

•They can only access static data.
•They cannot refer to “this” or “super” (more later) in anyway.
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Example

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Example

Independent of any specific

instance.
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 Example
• Suppose that the class F is defined in (a). Let f be an instance of
F. Which of the statements in (b) are correct?

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 Example – static data and methods
• Create a SavingsAccount class.
• Use a static data member annualInterestRate to store the annual interest
rate.
• The class contains a private data member savingsBalance indicating the
balance of account.
• Provide member function calculateMonthlyInterest that calculates the
monthly interest by multiplying the balance by annualInterestRate divided
by 12; this interest should be added to savingsBalance.
• Provide a static member function modifyInterestRate that sets the static
annualInterestRate to a new value.
 Example – static data and methods
• Write a driver program to test class SavingsAccount. Instantiate two
different objects of class SavingsAccount, saver1 and saver2, with
balances of $2000.00 and $3000.00, respectively.
• Set the annualInterestRate to 3 percent.
• Then calculate the monthly interest and print the new balances for each
of the savers.
• Then set the annualInterestRate to 4 percent, calculate the next
month's interest and print the new balances for each of the savers.
 Example - Calculator
• Create a class TwoDigitCalculator which allows user to
perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division on 2
digits.

• Analyse the data members and methods of this class and

implement