Java this Keyword
Example
Using this with a class attribute (x):
public class MyClass {
int x;
// Constructor with a parameter
public MyClass(int x) {
this.x = x;
}
// Call the constructor
public static void main(String[] args) {
MyClass myObj = new MyClass(5);
System.out.println("Value of x = " + myObj.x);
}
}
Definition and Usage
The this keyword refers to the current object in a method or constructor.
The most common use of the this keyword is to eliminate
the confusion between class attributes and parameters with the same name (because a class attribute is shadowed by a method or constructor parameter). If you omit the keyword in the example above, the output would be "0" instead of "5".
this can also be used to:
- Invoke current class constructor
- Invoke current class method
- Return the current class object
- Pass an argument in the method call
- Pass an argument in the constructor call
Related Pages
Read more about objects in our Java Classes/Objects Tutorial.
Read more about constructors in our Java Constructors Tutorial.
Read more about methods in our Java Methods Tutorial.
