Hand out 5

Instructor . ASIM Majeed

Java Methods
A method is a block of code which only runs when it is called.

You can pass data, known as parameters, into a method.

Methods are used to perform certain actions, and they are also known
as functions.

Why use methods? To reuse code: define the code once, and use it many
times.

Create a Method
A method must be declared within a class. It is defined with the name of the
method, followed by parentheses (). Java provides some pre-defined
methods, such as System.out.println(), but you can also create your own
methods to perform certain actions:

Example
Create a method inside MyClass:

public class MyClass {

static void myMethod() {

// code to be executed

Example Explained
● myMethod() is the name of the method
● static means that the method belongs to the MyClass class and not an
object of the MyClass class. You will learn more about objects and how
to access methods through objects later in this tutorial.
● void means that this method does not have a return value. You will
learn more about return values later in this chapter
Call a Method
To call a method in Java, write the method's name followed by two
parentheses () and a semicolon;

In the following example, myMethod() is used to print a text (the action), when
it is called:

Example
Inside main, call the myMethod() method:

public class MyClass {

static void myMethod() {

System.out.println("I just got executed!");

public static void main(String[] args) {

myMethod();

// Outputs "I just got executed!"

Run example »

A method can also be called multiple times:

Example
public class MyClass {

static void myMethod() {

System.out.println("I just got executed!");

}
 public static void main(String[] args) {

myMethod();

myMethod();

myMethod();

// I just got executed!

// I just got executed!

// I just got executed!

Test Yourself With Exercises

Exercise:
Insert the missing part to call myMethod from main.

static void myMethod() {

System.out.println("I just got executed!");
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

;
}

Java Method Parameters

❮ PreviousNext ❯

Parameters and Arguments

Information can be passed to methods as parameter. Parameters act as
variables inside the method.

Parameters are specified after the method name, inside the parentheses. You
can add as many parameters as you want, just separate them with a comma.

The following example has a method that takes a String called fname as
parameter. When the method is called, we pass along a first name, which is
used inside the method to print the full name:

Example
public class MyClass {

static void myMethod(String fname) {

System.out.println(fname + " Refsnes");

public static void main(String[] args) {

myMethod("Liam");

myMethod("Jenny");

myMethod("Anja");

// Liam Refsnes

// Jenny Refsnes

// Anja Refsnes
Run example »

When a parameter is passed to the method, it is called an argument. So,

from the example above: fname is a parameter,
while Liam, Jenny and Anja are arguments.

Multiple Parameters
You can have as many parameters as you like:

Example
public class MyClass {

static void myMethod(String fname, int age) {

System.out.println(fname + " is " + age);

public static void main(String[] args) {

myMethod("Liam", 5);

myMethod("Jenny", 8);

myMethod("Anja", 31);

// Liam is 5

// Jenny is 8

// Anja is 31

Run example »
Note that when you are working with multiple parameters, the method call
must have the same number of arguments as there are parameters, and the
arguments must be passed in the same order.

Return Values
The void keyword, used in the examples above, indicates that the method
should not return a value. If you want the method to return a value, you can
use a primitive data type (such as int, char, etc.) instead of void, and use
the return keyword inside the method:

Example
public class MyClass {

static int myMethod(int x) {

return 5 + x;

public static void main(String[] args) {

System.out.println(myMethod(3));

// Outputs 8 (5 + 3)

Run example »

This example returns the sum of a method's two parameters:

Example
public class MyClass {

static int myMethod(int x, int y) {

return x + y;

}
 public static void main(String[] args) {

System.out.println(myMethod(5, 3));

// Outputs 8 (5 + 3)

Run example »

You can also store the result in a variable (recommended, as it is easier to

read and maintain):

Example
public class MyClass {

static int myMethod(int x, int y) {

return x + y;

public static void main(String[] args) {

int z = myMethod(5, 3);

System.out.println(z);

// Outputs 8 (5 + 3)

Run example »

A Method with If...Else

It is common to use if...else statements inside methods:

Example
 public class MyClass {

// Create a checkAge() method with an integer variable called

age

static void checkAge(int age) {

// If age is less than 18, print "access denied"

if (age < 18) {

System.out.println("Access denied - You are not old

enough!");

// If age is greater than 18, print "access granted"

} else {

System.out.println("Access granted - You are old enough!");

public static void main(String[] args) {

checkAge(20); // Call the checkAge method and pass along an

age of 20

// Outputs "Access granted - You are old enough!"

Exercises
Exercise:
Add a fname parameter of type String to myMethod, and output "John Doe":
static void myMethod( ) {
System.out.println( + " Doe");
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

myMethod("John");
}

Video Lecture

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