When to use static method and field?

Question

I know what static is, but just not sure when to use it.

static variable: I only used it for constant fields. Sometimes there are tens of constants in a class, so us

Answer 1

The static field has one value among all objects and they call it Class member also because it's related to the class.

• You can use static filed as a utility.

  an example just Assume we need to know how many instances we have :

class Counter

     public class Counter {


     public static int instanceCount ;

        public Counter()
        {
            instanceCount++;
        }

        public int getInstanceCount()
        {
            return instanceCount;
        }



    }

After creating two instances of Counter Class. But they share the same instanceCount field because it's a static field so the value of instanceCount will become the same in firstCounter and secondCounter .

Class main

       Counter firstCounter = new Counter();
       // will print 1
       System.out.println(co.getInstanceCount());
       // will print 2
        Counter secondCounter = new Counter();

        System.out.println(co1.getInstanceCount());