What does classname.class return in java?

What does classname.class return in java?

In Java, classname.class is a way to obtain a reference to the Class object that represents the class with the specified name, where "classname" is the name of the class as a string. This can be useful in various reflection-related tasks and allows you to access metadata about the class at runtime.

For example, if you have a class named MyClass, you can obtain a Class object for it like this:

Class<?> myClass = MyClass.class;

Here's how you can use this Class object:

  • Creating instances dynamically: You can use the Class object to create new instances of the class at runtime using reflection. For example:
Class<?> myClass = MyClass.class; Object instance = myClass.newInstance(); // Creates a new instance of MyClass
  • Accessing class information: You can use the Class object to retrieve information about the class, such as its name, methods, fields, and annotations. For example:
Class<?> myClass = MyClass.class; String className = myClass.getName(); // Gets the fully qualified class name Method[] methods = myClass.getDeclaredMethods(); // Gets an array of declared methods Field[] fields = myClass.getDeclaredFields(); // Gets an array of declared fields
  • Checking for type compatibility: You can use Class objects to check if an object is an instance of a particular class or interface:
Class<?> myClass = MyClass.class; Object obj = new MyClass(); if (myClass.isInstance(obj)) { // obj is an instance of MyClass or its subclasses }
  • Other reflective operations: You can use the Class object for various other reflective operations, such as invoking methods, accessing constructors, and manipulating fields, among other things.

Keep in mind that working with Class objects and reflection should be used with caution because it can lead to less type safety and can make your code more complex and harder to maintain. It is typically used in scenarios where you need to work with classes and objects at runtime in a dynamic way.

More Tags

variable-assignment arcgis julian-date wtforms biginteger javacv window-resize launch-configuration beamer chart.js

More Java Questions

More Internet Calculators

More Weather Calculators

More Genetics Calculators

More Date and Time Calculators