Scope of a Java Identifier

A variable's scope is the block of code within which the variable is accessible.

A local variable declared in a block (region delimited by braces) can be used only in that block of in blocks nested within that block.

Methods and instance variables of a class have class scope. Class scope is the region enclosed by the braces following the class declaration.

public class Scope extends JApplet {
   double x = 15; // instance variable

   public void MethodA(double y) // Method parameter
   {
      double z = 3.14;  // local variable
   }
}

Identifiers declared within a block have block scope. Both local variables and method parameters have block scope.

Maintained by John Loomis, last updated 1 June 2000