Question

class Another {
    public void method(Object o) {
        System.out.println("This is in method which takes object");
    }
    public void method(String s) {
        System.out.println("This is method which takes string");
    }
}

public class NewClass {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        Another an = new Another();
        an.method(null);
    }
}

When I try to execute this, I get

This is method which takes string

as the output. Why not “This is in method which takes object”? Object can also be null and string can also be null, why doesn’t it invoke first method?

Answer 1

According to the Java Language Specification, in such cases of overloaded methods where both methods can handle the provided arguments, the method with more specific argument is chosen. Since String is more specific than Object (String extends Object), void method(String) is chosen and called.