We know that a Java code begins to execute from the main method. During runtime, if JVM can’t find any main method then we will get a runtime exception:
No such Method Error:
Main method not found in class, please define the main method as: public static void main(String[] args)
to avoid this problem there should be the main method. We also know that the java main method has a particular prototype, which looks like:
Even though the above syntax(prototype) is very strict but some little changes are acceptable. This makes it not so strict that if we perform any change then we will get a runtime exception. We can do several allowed modification to our main method.
The following Changes are acceptable.
Let’s understand the different variants of main() that are valid.
- Default prototype: Below is the most common way to write main() in Java.
classTest{publicstaticvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("Main Method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Main Method
Meaning of the main Syntax:
public: JVM can execute the method from anywhere. static: Main method can be called without object. void: The main method doesn't return anything. main(): Name configured in the JVM. String[]: Accepts the command line arguments. args:- the name of the String array is args.
- Order of Modifiers: We can swap positions of static and public in main().
//Java code to understand that The Order of Modifiers don't mattersclassTest{staticpublicvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("Main Method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Main Method
- Variants of String array arguments: We can place square brackets at different positions for string parameter.
classTest{publicstaticvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("Main Method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Main Method
classTest{publicstaticvoidmain(String []args){System.out.println("Main Method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Main Method
classTest{publicstaticvoidmain(String args[]){System.out.println("Main Method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Main Method
- Args or anything: Instead of args we can write anything which is a valid java identifier. You can write anything here, you can write your name or company’s name or anything you want to write but it must follow the rule of being a java identifier.
Example:classGfg{publicstaticvoidmain(String[] geeksforgeeks){System.out.println("Instead of args we have written geeksforgeeks");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Instead of args we have written geeksforgeeks
- Var-args instead of String array: According to the rule whenever there is one dimenssional array we can replace the array with var-arg parameter.So here we can change our string array using var-args. (the tripple dots instead of [])
Example:
//Java code-> using Var-Args instead of the array//please note these code may not run in gfg IDE, better run it on other IDEs e.g, eclipseclassGfg{finalpublicstaticvoidmain(String... args){System.out.println("Var-args main method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Var-args main method
- Final Modifier String argument: We can make String args[] as final.
classTest{publicstaticvoidmain(finalString[] args){System.out.println("Main Method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Main Method
- Final main method: We can declare the main method with the final keyword.This cannot change the execution or give any error.
Example://Java code having the final main method////please note these code may not run in gfg IDE, better run it on other IDEs e.g, eclipseclassGfg{finalpublicstaticvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("final main method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
final main method
- synchronized keyword to static main method: We can make main() synchronized.
//Java code having Synchronized main method//please note these code may not run in gfg IDE, better run it on other IDEs e.g, eclipseclassTest{publicsynchronizedstaticvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("Main Method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Main Method
- strictfp keyword to static main method: strictfp can be used to restrict floating point calculations.
//Java code-> using strictfp modifier in main method//please note these code may not run in gfg IDE, better run it on other IDEs e.g, eclipseclassTest{publicstrictfpstaticvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("Main Method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Main Method
- Combinations of all above keyword to static main method:
So we can declare the java main method with the following modifiers:1.final, 2.synchronized 3.strictfp
but wait, can we use these three modifiers altogether?
-Yes, we can. we can use these three modifiers all together in our main method. Please go through the following example where we use all these modifiers and the code compiles and run perfectly fine without giving any error.
Example://Java code-> main method using final synchronized strictfp//please note these code may not run in gfg IDE, better run it on other IDEs e.g, eclipseclassGfg{finalsynchronizedstrictfppublicstaticvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("final synchronized strictfp main method");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
final synchronized strictfp main method
- Overloading Main method: We can overload main() with different types of parameters.
classTest{publicstaticvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("Main Method String Array");}publicstaticvoidmain(int[] args){System.out.println("Main Method int Array");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneOutput:
Main Method String Array
- Inheritance of Main method: JVM Executes the main() without any errors.
classA{publicstaticvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("Main Method Parent");}}classBextendsA{}chevron_rightfilter_noneTwo class files, A.class and B.class are generated by a compiler. When we execute any of the two .class, JVM executes with no error.
O/P: Java A Main Method Parent O/P: Java B Main Method Parent
- Method Hiding of main(), but not Overriding: Since main() is static, derived class main() hides the base class main. (See Shadowing of static functions for details.)
classA{publicstaticvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("Main Method Parent");}}classBextendsA{publicstaticvoidmain(String[] args){System.out.println("Main Method Child");}}chevron_rightfilter_noneTwo classes, A.class and B.class are generated by Java Compiler javac. When we execute both the .class, JVM executes with no error.
O/P: Java A Main Method Parent O/P: Java B Main Method Child
This article is contributed by Mahesh. Please write comments if you find anything incorrect, or you want to share more information about the topic discussed above
Attention reader! Donât stop learning now. Get hold of all the important Java and Collections concepts with the Fundamentals of Java and Java Collections Course at a student-friendly price and become industry ready.
Recommended Posts:
- Does JVM create object of Main class (the class with main())?
- GFact 48 | Overloading main() in Java
- Main thread in Java
- Replacing 'public' with 'private' in "main" in Java
- Static Block and main() method in Java
- Execute main() multiple times without using any other function or condition or recursion in Java
- Understanding public static void main(String[] args) in Java
- How to overload and override main method in Java
- What are the main differences between the Java platform and other platforms?
- In Java, Can we call the main() method of a class from another class?
- Understanding "static" in "public static void main" in Java
- Is main method compulsory in Java?
- Main App Implements Runnable | Concurrent Programming Approach 2
- Check if a given string is a valid number (Integer or Floating Point) in Java
- Check if email address valid or not in Java
- Check if URL is valid or not in Java
- Program to check valid mobile number
- Java.util.BitSet class methods in Java with Examples | Set 2
- Java.Lang.Float class in Java
- Java.io.BufferedInputStream class in Java
Improved By : PinakiBanerjee0

Formed in 2009, the Archive Team (not to be confused with the archive.org Archive-It Team) is a rogue archivist collective dedicated to saving copies of rapidly dying or deleted websites for the sake of history and digital heritage. The group is 100% composed of volunteers and interested parties, and has expanded into a large amount of related projects for saving online and digital history.
