can there be more than one main method in a java program

[linus dale]

because most books say

every java application has to have at least one class and at least one main method

when does it happen

[Campbell Ritchie]

Yes, you can have as many main methods as you like. You can have main methods with different signatures from main(String[]), which is called overloading, and the JVM will ignore those main methods.
You can have one public static void main(String[] args) method in each class. Some people use those methods for testing; they can test the operation of each class individually. The JVM will only invoke the public static void main(String[] args) method in the class you name when you write

java MyClass

[linus dale]

thanks

got it

[Campbell Ritchie]

You're welcome

[Steve Jefferson]

Reply from Linus is appreciated. It cleared my doubt too in this question.

[Rohan Kadbe]

but if we write same signature as compiler/jvm would invoke.......

   public class TwoMain {
    public static void main(String args1[])
    {
        System.out.println("First main");

    }
    public static void main(String args2[])
    {
        System.out.println("second main");

    }

} 

can we tell compiler which main to use as an entry point....so that I can change entry point as I like....

[Rob Spoor]

Those two methods have the same signature. The only way to have two main methods is by having two different classes each with one main method. The name of the class you use to invoke the JVM (e.g. java Class1, java Class2) determines which main method is called.

[Martin Vanyavchich]

Because you have two methods with the sam signature, your TwoMain class wouldn't compile.

[Campbell Ritchie]

And welcome to JavaRanch

[fred rosenberger]

Rohan Kadbe wrote:but if we write same signature as compiler/jvm would invoke.......

   public class TwoMain {
    public static void main(String args1[])
    {
        System.out.println("First main");

    }
    public static void main(String args2[])
    {
        System.out.println("second main");

    }

} 

can we tell compiler which main to use as an entry point....so that I can change entry point as I like....

Even if this did compile, how would you tell the compiler which one to invoke? Remember, all you type is

java TwoMain param1 param2 param3...

inside the compiled code, it probably doesn't even use the string "args1" or "args2".

[Rohan Kadbe]

@fred rosenberger

correct.
that is my question that can we tell compiler which main to use as an entry point....
as method signatures are same is there any way that compiler leaves/hides/ignore the first main and take entry point as second main

this code won't compile i know but can we correct it in some way..........

   public class TwoMain {
    public static void main(String args1[])
    {
        System.out.println("First main");
        Fun1();

    }
    public static void main(String args2[])
    {
        System.out.println("second main");
        Fun2();

    }

public static void Fun1()
{.......}

public static void Fun2()
{.......}
} 

@Campbell Ritchie
thanks.....cheers

[Mike Simmons]

Rohan Kadbe wrote:that is my question that can we tell compiler which main to use as an entry point....

No, you can't. The code won't compile.

[Rob Spoor]

I already gave the correct answer - you'll need two classes each with a main method.

[fred rosenberger]

Rohan Kadbe wrote:

@fred rosenberger

correct.
that is my question that can we tell compiler which main to use as an entry point....
as method signatures are same is there any way that compiler leaves/hides/ignore the first main and take entry point as second main

this code won't compile i know but can we correct it in some way..........

You don't tell the compiler where to enter the code. One of the first things the compiler does is check to see if your syntax is valid. Your example is not. You cannot have ANY two methods with the same signature, main or otherwise, because they cannot be distinguished.

the only way to correct it is to a) change the name of one of the methods, b) create a second class and put one main in each, or c) create a new main method that takes a param from the command line, and use that to determine which of the two methods you want to run (although you still have to re-name them).

[Rohan Kadbe]

thanks...all ....