Java Methods

A method is a block of code that performs a task and runs only when it is called. Methods make code reusable.

Syntax

accessModifier returnType methodName(parameters) {
    // body
    return value;
}

Example

Java

public class Main {
    static int add(int a, int b) {
        return a + b;
    }

    static int factorial(int n) {          // recursive method
        if (n <= 1) return 1;
        return n * factorial(n - 1);
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Sum = " + add(7, 8));
        System.out.println("Factorial of 5 = " + factorial(5));
    }
}

Sum = 15 Factorial of 5 = 120

Method Overloading

Several methods with the same name but different parameter lists.

Java

static int area(int s)        { return s * s; }
static int area(int l, int b) { return l * b; }

System.out.println("Area of square: " + area(4));
System.out.println("Area of rectangle: " + area(4, 6));

Area of square: 16 Area of rectangle: 24

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