Call

A call is the invocation of a function or method.

Related concepts:  FunctionMethodReturn

Closest Wikipedia entry:  Subroutine — In computer programming, a function (also procedure, method, subroutine, routine, or subprogram) is a callable unit of software logic that has a well-defined interface and behavior and can be invoked multiple times. Callable units provide a powerful programming tool. The primary purpose is to allow for the decomposition of a large and/or complicated problem into chunks that have relatively low cognitive load and to assign the chunks meaningful names (unless they are anonymous).

Misconceptions about Call

52 documented Misconceptions

BaseCaseNotNeeded

Recursive computations do not necessarily need a base case

BaseCaseSelfRecursive

The base case of a structural recursion consists of a recursive self-call

CallNotStaticallyChecked

A method invocation on a reference of a type that does not have that method won't compile

CallOnPrimitive

One can invoke a method on primitive values

CallRequiresVariable

One needs a variable to invoke a method

CallWithoutFrame

A method invocation does not necessarily allocate a stack frame

CallerFrameContainsCalleeFormal

Stack frame of caller includes variables for callee's formal parameters

CannotChainMemberAccesses

Member accesses cannot be chained together

CannotChainMemberToConstructor

Method calls or field accesses cannot be chained to a constructor invocation

ChainedMethodsNotCalledFromOutside

Chained methods are all called on the object at the beginning of the chain

ConstructorAllocates

The constructor allocates the object

ConstructorReturnsObject

Constructors need to return objects

ConstructorWithoutNew

One can write the constructor name, without new, to instantiate a class

DeferredReturn

A return statement in the middle of a method doesn't return immediately

FrameIsClassInstance

A stack frame is the same as an instance of a class

InlineCallInExpressionTree

The expression tree of an expression involving a call inlines the call's computation of the returned value

InterproceduralEdge

In an intra-procedural control-flow graph, method call nodes point to the called method

NoCallOnStringLiteral

One cannot invoke methods on String literals

NoInsideMethodCallInConstructor

It is foirbidden to call other methods on the same object while inside its constructor

NoStringToString

One cannot invoke toString() on a String

ObjectLabeledWithConstructorSignature

In stack and heap diagrams, an object on the heap is labeled like a stack frame of a constructor call

ObjectsMustBeNamed

A variable is needed to instantiate an object

OutsideInMethodNesting

Nested method calls are invoked outside in

ParenthesesOnlyIfArgument

() are optional for method calls without arguments

RecursiveCallSiteNoReturn

Tail-recursive call sites have no continuation

ReturnCall

Return statements need () around the return value

ReturnUnwindsMultipleFrames

A return statement can unwind multiple call stack frames

RightToLeftChaining

Chained accesses are invoked from right to left

StackTraceIsCallHistory

A stack trace is the sequence of previously called methods

StaticCallPolymorphic

A static method call is dispatched polymorphically at runtime based on the argument types

StaticDispatch

The method to be called is determined by the static type

StaticFrameInGlobals

Stack frame of static method calls lives in the global memory area

SuperAlwaysHasParentheses

To call a method on a superclass, parentheses are needed after the keyword super

SuperNotFirstStatement

super() can be called anywhere in the constructor of a subclass

ThisChildInCallExpression

Instance method or constructor call nodes in expression trees have a child labeled "this"