Java out.println() how is this possible?

Question

I\'ve seen some code such as:

out.println(\"print something\");

I tried import java.lang.System;

but it\'s not working

Answer 1

Or simply:

System.out.println("Some text");

Answer 2

out is a PrintStream type of static variable(object) of System class and println() is function of the PrintStream class.

class PrintStream
{
    public void println(){}    //member function
    ...
}

class System
{
    public static final PrintStream out;   //data member
    ...
}

That is why the static variable(object) out is accessed with the class name System which further invokes the method println() of it's type PrintStream (which is a class).

Answer 3

static imports do the trick:

import static java.lang.System.out;

or alternatively import every static method and field using

import static java.lang.System.*;

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Addendum by @Steve C: note that @sfussenegger said this in a comment on my Answer.

"Using such a static import of System.out isn't suited for more than simple run-once code."

So please don't imagine that he (or I) think that this solution is Good Practice.