Static (having a hard time)

**maknib** · 11-01-2010, 11:46 PM

Hello everyone.

I have just started learning Java, i'm picking up most of it very well so far EXCEPT the word Static.

i canno't for the life of me understand what this means or what it does.

the reason i picked up on it was because something like this..

Java Code:

class MyClass{
  public static void main(String[] args){
    myMethod(4);

  }
  public void myMethod (int age){
    System.out.println("you are " + age " years old!");
  }
}

this of course threw me therror about non static methods. i know i can fix this by Making myMethod static but instead of just fixing it i would like to know Why i have to do this.

all the articles i've read aren't making sense to me as they are using big words which i think i haven't come accross yet.

Could anyone give me a simple explination as Why i use static and When to ouse it? do i need it on main ?

thanks everyone (apart from this.. i LOVE java so far)

**maknib** · 11-02-2010, 12:28 AM

ooooo OMG

i think i May have just understood it..

tell me if i'm right..

Static is realted to the Class and not the Object.

so if i had

int a = 0;
a++

and made 5 objects they would all have the value of 1 for a

where as if i had

static int a = 0;
a++

and i made 5 objects they would have the values
a =1
a=2
a-3... until the last one?

Yes? i so hope i got this