Java Glossary : protected scope

Last updated 2004-06-28 by Roedy Green ©1996-2004 Canadian Mind Products

Java definitions: 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

You are here : home : Java Glossary : P words : protected scope.

protected scope

If you have a variable or method in your class that you don't want clients of your class directly accessing, declare it protected. Classes who extend your class will still be able to use it even if they are not part of the same package. The default package accessibility has slightly more restricted visibility. Consider the following code:

package one;

public class A
   {
   protected int p;
   }
////////////////////////////////

package two;
import one. A;

class B extends A
   {
   void myMethod()
      {
      p = 1; // ok
      A a = new A();
      a.p = 1; // not ok, p would have to be public for this to work.
      }
   }

A protected method is visible to inheriting classes, even not part of the same package. A package scope (default) method is not. That is the only difference between protected and package scope.

local scope ¤ package scope ¤ private scope ¤ public scope ¤ scope

home	Canadian Mind Products
	mindprod.com IP:[24.87.56.253]
	Your IP:[80.134.30.163]
	You are visitor number 4105.
	Please send errors, omissions and suggestions
	to improve this page to Roedy Green.
	You can get a fresh copy of this page from:	or possibly from your local J: drive mirror:
	http://mindprod.com/jgloss/protectedscope.html	J:\mindprod\jgloss\protectedscope.html