Methods, Parameters & Method Overloading

Pass-by-value semantics, return types, static methods, and overloading signatures

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Methods encapsulate reusable logic. Method Overloading allows multiple methods in the same class to share the same name with different parameter signatures.

Method Signatures & Pass-by-Value

Pass-by-Value: Java is strictly 100% pass-by-value. For primitives, copies of values are passed. For objects, copies of the object reference pointers are passed.

Method Overloading: Multiple methods share the same name but differ in number, type, or order of parameters. Return type alone does not differentiate overloaded methods.

Method Overloading Example

Try It Yourself »

public class Calculator {
    // Overload 1: Two integers
    public static int add(int a, int b) {
        return a + b;
    }

    // Overload 2: Three integers
    public static int add(int a, int b, int c) {
        return a + b + c;
    }

    // Overload 3: Double precision
    public static double add(double a, double b) {
        return a + b;
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(add(5, 10));       // calls int overload
        System.out.println(add(2.5, 3.5));   // calls double overload
    }
}

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Test Yourself With Exercise

+15 XP

Can two Java methods be overloaded if they have identical parameter lists but different return types?

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