Question

The following code demonstrates that the subclass named SubClass has a direct access to a final static synchronized method named staticMethod. There is no need to associate it with its class name.

package synchronizedpkg;

class SuperClass
{
    public final static synchronized void staticMethod()
    {
        System.out.println("Method called.");
    }
}

final class SubClass extends SuperClass
{
    public void woof()
    {
        staticMethod();
    }
}

final public class Main
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        new SubClass().woof();
    }
}

---

This is somewhat confusing in terms of inheritance because a final method can not be inherited and consequently should not directly be accessed by it’s subclasses. How does a final static method as shown above have a direct access from its child class?

Answer 1

The static method is inherited just like instance methods. From section 8.4.8 of the JLS:

A class C inherits from its direct superclass and direct superinterfaces all non-private methods (whether abstract or not) of the superclass and superinterfaces that are public, protected or declared with default access in the same package as C and are neither overridden (§8.4.8.1) nor hidden (§8.4.8.2) by a declaration in the class.

That doesn’t say anything about only inheriting instance methods.