Why can't I define a static method in a Java interface?

Question

EDIT: As of Java 8, static methods are now allowed in interfaces.

Here\'s the example:

public interface IXMLizable         


        

Answer 1

Let's suppose static methods were allowed in interfaces: * They would force all implementing classes to declare that method. * Interfaces would usually be used through objects, so the only effective methods on those would be the non-static ones. * Any class which knows a particular interface could invoke its static methods. Hence a implementing class' static method would be called underneath, but the invoker class does not know which. How to know it? It has no instantiation to guess that!

Interfaces were thought to be used when working with objects. This way, an object is instantiated from a particular class, so this last matter is solved. The invoking class need not know which particular class is because the instantiation may be done by a third class. So the invoking class knows only the interface.

If we want this to be extended to static methods, we should have the possibility to especify an implementing class before, then pass a reference to the invoking class. This could use the class through the static methods in the interface. But what is the differente between this reference and an object? We just need an object representing what it was the class. Now, the object represents the old class, and could implement a new interface including the old static methods - those are now non-static.

Metaclasses serve for this purpose. You may try the class Class of Java. But the problem is that Java is not flexible enough for this. You can not declare a method in the class object of an interface.

This is a meta issue - when you need to do ass

..blah blah

anyway you have an easy workaround - making the method non-static with the same logic. But then you would have to first create an object to call the method.