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Usage of Java Super Keyword

The super keyword in Java is used to refer to the parent class. It allows access to methods and fields of the parent class. Specifically: 1) super can be used to refer to parent class instance variables and methods, when a child class overrides them. 2) super calls the parent class method implementation, when a method is overridden in the child class. 3) super calls the parent class constructor from the child class constructor.

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Amol Shinde
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98 views

Usage of Java Super Keyword

The super keyword in Java is used to refer to the parent class. It allows access to methods and fields of the parent class. Specifically: 1) super can be used to refer to parent class instance variables and methods, when a child class overrides them. 2) super calls the parent class method implementation, when a method is overridden in the child class. 3) super calls the parent class constructor from the child class constructor.

Uploaded by

Amol Shinde
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Super Keyword in Java

The super keyword in Java is a reference variable which is used to refer immediate parent class
object.

Whenever you create the instance of subclass(object), an instance of parent class is created
implicitly which is referred by super reference variable.

Usage of Java super Keyword

1. super can be used to refer immediate parent class instance variable.


2. super can be used to invoke immediate parent class method.
3. super() can be used to invoke immediate parent class constructor.

1) super is used to refer immediate parent class instance variable.


We can use super keyword to access the data member or field of parent class. It is used if parent
class and child class have same fields.

1. class Animal
2. {
3. String color="white";
4. }
5. class Dog extends Animal
6. {
7. String color="black";
8. void printColor()
9. {
10. System.out.println(color);//prints color of Dog class
11. System.out.println(super.color);//prints color of Animal class
12. }
13. }
14. class TestSuper1
15. {
16. public static void main(String args[])
17. {
18. Dog d=new Dog();
19. d.printColor();
20. }
21. }

Output:

black
white

In the above example, Animal and Dog both classes have a common property color. If we print
color property, it will print the color of current class by default. To access the parent property,
we need to use super keyword.
EXAMPLE 2

/* Base class vehicle */


class Vehicle
{
int maxSpeed = 120;
}

/* sub class Car extending vehicle */


class Car extends Vehicle
{
int maxSpeed = 180;

void display()
{
/* print maxSpeed of subclass class (Car) */
System.out.println("Maximum Speed: " + maxSpeed);

/* print maxSpeed of base class (vehicle) */

System.out.println("Maximum Speed: " + super.maxSpeed);


}
}

/* Driver program to test */


class Test
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
Car small = new Car();
small.display();
}
}

Output:
Maximum Speed: 180
Maximum Speed: 120
In the above example, both base class and subclass have a member maxSpeed. We could acces
2) super can be used to invoke parent class method
The super keyword can also be used to invoke parent class method. It should be used if subclass
contains the same method as parent class. In other words, it is used if method is overridden.

1. class Animal
2. {
3. void eat()
4. {
5. System.out.println("eating...");
6. }
7. }
8. class Dog extends Animal
9. {
10. void eat()
11. {
12. System.out.println("eating bread...");
13. }
14. void bark()
15. {
16. System.out.println("barking...");
17. }
18. void work()
19. {
20. super.eat();
21. bark();
22. }
23. }
24.
25. class TestSuper2
26. {
27. public static void main(String args[])
28. {
29. Dog d=new Dog();
30. d.work();
31. }
32. }
33. Output:
eating...
barking...

In the above example Animal and Dog both classes have eat() method if we call eat() method
from Dog class, it will call the eat() method of Dog class by default because priority is given to
local.

To call the parent class method, we need to use super keyword.

3) super is used to invoke parent class constructor.

The super keyword can also be used to invoke the parent class constructor. Let's see a simple
example:

1. class Animal
2. {
3. Animal()
4. {
5. System.out.println("animal is created");
6. }
7. }
8. class Dog extends Animal
9. {
10. Dog()
11. {
12. super();
13. System.out.println("dog is created");
14. }
15. }
16. class TestSuper3
17. {
18. public static void main(String args[])
19. {
20. Dog d=new Dog();
21. }}

Output:

animal is created
dog is created

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