public static void main(String arg[ ] ) in java is it fixed?

Question

I was recently asked in an exam if public static void main(String arg[]) format of main method was fixed? Can we change it? Can we use main

Answer 1

If not, why is it not hard coded that main(String arg[]) would stand for public static void main(String arg[]) always?

You can have methods called "main" with any signature and access you like. The special rules only apply to the method you want the JVM to call to start a program.

public class Test {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    StrangeMain m = new StrangeMain();
    System.out.println(m.main());
    System.out.println(m.main(new String[]{"aaa","bbb"}));
  }
}

class StrangeMain{
  protected String main(){
    return "xyzzy";
  }
  protected String main(String[] arg){
    return arg[0];
  }
}

compiles, runs, and outputs:

xyzzy
aaa