non static main

[S Ali]

  public void main(String []args)
{
	System.out.println("hi");
}  

How come when I remove static modifier from main method it compiles ???
An instance method can never hide or overload a static one so why is it making an exception here!

[Bear Bibeault]

Why shouldn't it? It's perfectly legal.

It won't work as an entry point method -- but there's nothing to prevent it from compiling.

[S Ali]

how does it compile when the following is illegal :

 
 class parent
{
	
public static void hi(){}	

}

public class child extends parent{

	
	public void hi(){}
}  

and even if it didn't inherit it like the example then doesn't the compiler know that main method with String [] parameter is supposed to be static all the time ?

[Henry Wong]

S Ali wrote:An instance method can never hide or overload a static one so why is it making an exception here!

Okay, what "static one" is this instance method going to hide or overload?

Henry

[Bear Bibeault]

S Ali wrote:doesn't the compiler know that main method with String [] parameter is supposed to be static all the time ?

Supposed to be? It's not. Please show me where it says that it must be.

If you want to use it as an entry point, it must conform to the rules. But it's perfectly legal Java otherwise.

It has nothing to do with your example, as there is no inheritance going on.