Questions on the relationship between static and non-static methods

[Rebecca Wolf]

Hi,

The following code has been taken from one of Enthuware's mock exams.

interface Pow{
    static void wow(){ 
        System.out.println("In Pow.wow");    
    };
}

abstract class Wow{
   
   static void wow(){
       System.out.println("In Wow.wow");    
  }    
}

public class Powwow extends Wow implements Pow {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Powwow f = new Powwow();
        f.wow();
    }
}

As you can see, the methods wow() in both interface Pow and class Wow are static. The code compiles successfully.

When we change Wow's method into an instance method, the code still compiles.

   void wow(){
       System.out.println("In Wow.wow");    
  }   

However, let's say we then change's Pow's method into an abstract method:

interface Pow{

	void wow();
}

abstract class Wow{
   
static void wow(){
       System.out.println("In Wow.wow");    
  }   
}

public class Powwow extends Wow implements Pow {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Powwow f = new Powwow();
        f.wow();
    }
}

This results in the following error:

Powwow.java:16: error: wow() in Wow cannot implement wow() in Pow
public class Powwow extends Wow implements Pow {
      ^
 overriding method is static
1 error

1) The error states that Wow's (the abstract class) method is trying to implement Pow's (the interface) method. I don't understand where this is coming from though. Wow does not implement the interface Pow, so aren't these two methods separate? I did notice that if I comment out f.wow(), the code does compile. It obviously has something to do with the way the method is called, but I can't figure out what it is.

2) So let's say that Wow's method is trying to override Pow's method (which is true, apparently). Why can't a static method override a non-static method, while a non-static method can override a static method (as demonstrated with the first code edit in this post)?

Next, let's make both methods non-static.

interface Pow{

	void wow();
}

abstract class Wow{
   
void wow(){
       System.out.println("In Wow.wow");    
  }   
}

public class Powwow extends Wow implements Pow {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Powwow f = new Powwow();
        f.wow();
    }
}

Attempting to compile this code produces the following error:

Powwow.java:13: error: wow() in Wow cannot implement wow() in Pow
public class Powwow extends Wow implements Pow {
      ^
 attempting to assign weaker access privileges; was public
1 error

3) Again, it seems that Wow's method is trying to override Pow's method, since it's access modifier has now gone from public to default, which isn't allowed. I suppose this compilation failure pertains to the same issue as brought up in my first question, right?

Thanks again for your support!

Regards,
Shane

[Henry Wong]

Shane Jensen wrote:
1) The error states that Wow's (the abstract class) method is trying to implement Pow's (the interface) method. I don't understand where this is coming from though. Wow does not implement the interface Pow, so aren't these two methods separate? I did notice that if I comment out f.wow(), the code does compile. It obviously has something to do with the way the method is called, but I can't figure out what it is.

The Wow class does *not* implement the Pow interface, however, the Powwow class must implement the Pow interface (as it is declared to do so). Unfortunately, according to section 8.4.8.1 of the JLS, this is not allowed...

https://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se8/html/jls-8.html#jls-8.4.8.1

as doing so will have an instance method trying to override a static method.

Henry

[Henry Wong]

Shane Jensen wrote:
3) Again, it seems that Wow's method is trying to override Pow's method, since it's access modifier has now gone from public to default, which isn't allowed. I suppose this compilation failure pertains to the same issue as brought up in my first question, right?

The Powwow class must implement the Pow interface (as it is declared to do so). The Pow interface has the wow() method with public access levels, since all interface methods are public.

The Powwow class does *not* implement the wow() method; instead it inherits it from the Wow class, which does not have a public access level, as required by the Pow interface. Hence, you get the error message from the compiler.


... and ... I am not sure what you are trying to say with point 2. Can you elaborate?

Henry

[Rebecca Wolf]

Henry Wong wrote:

Shane Jensen wrote:
1) The error states that Wow's (the abstract class) method is trying to implement Pow's (the interface) method. I don't understand where this is coming from though. Wow does not implement the interface Pow, so aren't these two methods separate? I did notice that if I comment out f.wow(), the code does compile. It obviously has something to do with the way the method is called, but I can't figure out what it is.

The Wow class does *not* implement the Pow interface, however, the Powwow class must implement the Pow interface (as it is declared to do so). Unfortunately, according to section 8.4.8.1 of the JLS, this is not allowed...

https://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se8/html/jls-8.html#jls-8.4.8.1

as doing so will have an instance method trying to override a static method.

Henry

Thanks, Henry! Your explanation cleared things up for me.

Regarding my second question: I don't understand why a static method is not allowed to override a non-static method.

[Rebecca Wolf]

Now I'm not sure whether a non-static method can even override a static method. After the first code change I made, is the static method from class Wow even overriding the non-static method from interface Pow? If not, what is happening? And is it possible for a non-static method to override a static method?

[Henry Wong]

Shane Jensen wrote:
Regarding my second question: I don't understand why a static method is not allowed to override a non-static method.

Overriding does not apply to static methods. It is for instance methods, that are accessible. So... the answer to the question is, no, overridding does not apply for static methods. Period.

But that is not what you are asking here. You are asking whether it compiles or not -- or at least, that is how I answered it.

Henry

[Rebecca Wolf]

Henry Wong wrote:

Shane Jensen wrote:
Regarding my second question: I don't understand why a static method is not allowed to override a non-static method.

Overriding does not apply to static methods. It is for instance methods, that are accessible. So... the answer to the question is, no, overridding does not apply for static methods. Period.

But that is not what you are asking here. You are asking whether it compiles or not -- or at least, that is how I answered it.

Henry

True. So then my question would be: why does the following error occur? The method in the class is static, while the method in the interface is non-static. But why is that a problem?

Powwow.java:16: error: wow() in Wow cannot implement wow() in Pow
public class Powwow extends Wow implements Pow {
      ^
 overriding method is static
1 error

[Henry Wong]

Shane Jensen wrote:
True. So then my question would be: why does the following error occur? The method in the class is static, while the method in the interface is non-static. But why is that a problem?

Powwow.java:16: error: wow() in Wow cannot implement wow() in Pow
public class Powwow extends Wow implements Pow {
      ^
 overriding method is static
1 error

I already answered this above.

Henry

[Rebecca Wolf]

Right.. I guess I haven't been exactly sharp today yet.   Got it now, finally. Thanks!