Should Java methods be static by default?

Question

Say you\'re writing method foo() in class A. foo doesn\'t ever access any of A\'s state. You know nothing else about what foo does, or how it behaves. It cou

Answer 1

Don't use static if you can avoid it. It clashes with inheritance ( overriding ).

Also, not asked but slightly related, don't make utility methods public.

As for the rest, I agree with Matt b. If you have a load of potentially static methods, which don't use state, just put them in a private class, or possibly protected or package protected class.