Introducing Methods - Adding a method that takes parameters - Returning a value

A Java method is a collection of statements that are grouped together to perform an operation. When you call the System.out.println() method, for example, the system actually executes several statements in order to display a message on the console.

Now you will learn how to create your own methods with or without return values, invoke a method with or without parameters, and apply method abstraction in the program design.

Creating Method

Considering the following example to explain the syntax of a method −

Syntax

public static int methodName(int a, int b) {
   // body
}

Here,

• public static − modifier
• int − return type
• methodName − name of the method
• a, b − formal parameters
• int a, int b − list of parameters

Method definition consists of a method header and a method body. The same is shown in the following syntax −

Syntax

modifier returnType nameOfMethod (Parameter List) {
   // method body
}

The syntax shown above includes −

• modifier − It defines the access type of the method and it is optional to use.
• returnType − Method may return a value.
• nameOfMethod − This is the method name. The method signature consists of the method name and the parameter list.
• Parameter List − The list of parameters, it is the type, order, and number of parameters of a method. These are optional, method may contain zero parameters.
• method body − The method body defines what the method does with the statements.

Example

Here is the source code of the above defined method called max(). This method takes two parameters num1 and num2 and returns the maximum between the two −

/** the snippet returns the minimum between two numbers */

public static int minFunction(int n1, int n2) {
   int min;
   if (n1 > n2)
      min = n2;
   else
      min = n1;

   return min; 
}

Method Calling

For using a method, it should be called. There are two ways in which a method is called i.e., method returns a value or returning nothing (no return value).

The process of method calling is simple. When a program invokes a method, the program control gets transferred to the called method. This called method then returns control to the caller in two conditions, when −

• the return statement is executed.
• it reaches the method ending closing brace.

The methods returning void is considered as call to a statement. Lets consider an example −

System.out.println("This is tutorialspoint.com!");

The method returning value can be understood by the following example −

int result = sum(6, 9);

Following is the example to demonstrate how to define a method and how to call it −

Example

public class ExampleMinNumber {
   
   public static void main(String[] args) {
      int a = 11;
      int b = 6;
      int c = minFunction(a, b);
      System.out.println("Minimum Value = " + c);
   }

   /** returns the minimum of two numbers */
   public static int minFunction(int n1, int n2) {
      int min;
      if (n1 > n2)
         min = n2;
      else
         min = n1;

      return min; 
   }
}

This will produce the following result −

Output

Minimum value = 6