What does .class mean in Java?

java class methods
Quinn Wei picture Quinn Wei · Feb 26, 2013 · Viewed 107k times · Source

What does .class mean in Java? For example, if I created a class called Print. What does Print.class return?

Answer

Javier picture Javier · Feb 26, 2013

When you write .class after a class name, it references the class literal - java.lang.Class object that represents information about given class.

For example, if your class is Print, then Print.class is an object that represents the class Print on runtime. It is the same object that is returned by the getClass() method of any (direct) instance of Print.

Print myPrint = new Print();
System.out.println(Print.class.getName());
System.out.println(myPrint.getClass().getName());

Related questions

Compare two objects with .equals() and == operator

I constructed a class with one String field. Then I created two objects and I have to compare them using == operator and .equals() too. Here's what I've done: public class MyClass { String a; public MyClass(String ab) { a = ab; } public …

Read More
Defining an abstract class without any abstract methods

Can I define an abstract class without adding an abstract method?

Read More
Java synchronized static methods: lock on object or class

The Java documentation says: It is not possible for two invocations of synchronized methods on the same object to interleave. What does this mean for a static method? Since a static method has no associated object, will the synchronized keyword …

Read More