Method

A method is a function that is a member of a class and may operate on an object.

Related concepts:  FunctionMemberClassObject

Closest Wikipedia entry:  Method (computer programming) — A method in object-oriented programming (OOP) is a procedure associated with an object, and generally also a message. An object consists of state data and behavior; these compose an interface, which specifies how the object may be used. A method is a behavior of an object parametrized by a user.

Misconceptions about Method

49 documented Misconceptions

AddMemberAtRuntime — Java

Set of class members can change at runtime

ArrayHasLengthMethod — Java

To get the length of an array, one needs to call its length method

BaseCaseNotNeeded — Java

Recursive computations do not necessarily need a base case

BaseCaseSelfRecursive — Java

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

CallNotStaticallyChecked — Java

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

CallOnPrimitive — Java

One can invoke a method on primitive values

CallRequiresVariable — Java

One needs a variable to invoke a method

CallWithoutFrame — Java

A method invocation does not necessarily allocate a stack frame

CallerFrameContainsCalleeFormal — Java

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

CannotChainAttributeToObjectInstantiation — Python

Method calls, and attribute accesses in general, cannot be chained to a constructor invocation.

CannotChainMemberAccesses — Java

Member accesses cannot be chained together

CannotChainMemberToConstructor — Java

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

ChainedMethodsNotCalledFromOutside — Java

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

ConcreteClassMustOverride — Java

A concrete class needs to implement all methods declared in its abstract superclasses

ConcreteClassOnlyImplementClassAbstract — Java

A concrete class only needs to implement those abstract methods it inherits from abstract superclasses

ConcreteClassOnlyImplementDirectAbstract — Java

A concrete class only needs to implement abstract methods declared in its direct supertypes

ConcreteClassOnlyImplementInterfaceAbstract — Java

A concrete class only needs to implement those abstract methods it inherits from interfaces

DeferredReturn — Java

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

EqualsComparesReferences — Java

o.equals(p) compares the references stored in the variables o and p

ImmutableRequiresFinalParameters — Java

Immutable classes need final constructor/method parameters

ImplicitInterfaceImplementation — Java

Java implicitly produces implementations of any methods a class inherits from the interfaces it implements

InterproceduralEdge — Java

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

MethodAsField — Java

Each object contains its own special fields for all of its methods

MethodWithoutReturnType — Java

A method declaration does not need to include a return type

MethodsWithoutClass — Java

Methods can be defined outside a class

NoCallOnStringLiteral — Java

One cannot invoke methods on String literals

NoInsideMethodCallInConstructor — Java

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

NoMethodInheritance — Java

Subclasses inherit fields but not methods

NoStringToString — Java

One cannot invoke toString() on a String

OutsideInMethodNesting — Java

Nested method calls are invoked outside in

ParenthesesOnlyIfArgument — Java

() are optional for method calls without arguments

PrivateAccessibleInSubclass — Java

Private members of a superclass are accessible from a subclass

RecursiveMethodImpliesRecursiveType — Java

A class with a recursive method represents part of a recursive data structure

RecursiveMethodNeedsIfElse — Java

A recursive method needs to contain an if-else statement

ReturnCall — Java

Return statements need () around the return value

RightToLeftChaining — Java

Chained accesses are invoked from right to left

RightToLeftChaining — Python

Chained accesses are invoked from right to left

SetterIsStatic — Java

Setter methods are static

StackTraceIsCallHistory — Java

A stack trace is the sequence of previously called methods

StaticCallPolymorphic — Java

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

StaticDispatch — Java

The method to be called is determined by the static type

StaticFrameInGlobals — Java

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

StringLengthField — Java

One can know the length of a String object by accessing its length field

ThisChildInCallExpression — Java

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

ThisExistsInStaticMethod — Java

this is a local variable, also in static methods

ToStringPrints — Java

Invoking toString() prints something

UseOfSelfTypeImpliesRecursiveType — Java

If a class has a method that has a local variable, parameter, or return value with the class as its type, the class is a recursive type

VoidMethodNotRecursive — Java

A method with void return type can't be recursive

VoidMethodReturnsValue — Java

A method with void return type can return a value