Question

In the following code, I am getting the output Hello. Can anyone explain why compiler is not reporting an error it I am calling a protected function outside the class and inheritance chain.

package sampleproject;

public class SampleProject 
{
    public static void main(String[] args) 
    {
        Sample s=new Sample();
        s.finalize();
    }
}

class Sample
{
    @Override
    protected void finalize()
    {
        System.out.println("Hello");
    }
}

Thanks.

Answer 1

protected scope includes the package, as well as the class and subclass(es). Both your classes are part of the same package.

I hope you’re not intending to call finalize(), btw. That should be left to the garbage collector (and not relied on,. either!). See this answer for more info.