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Java Java Objects (Retired) Meet Objects Constructors

Posted by fbenedetti
fbenedetti
2,010 Points

Is there a style guide for Java objects?

Hi there!

I might be anticipating some content further down the track, but the constructor method made me wonder if there's a recommended way of structuring objects in Java.

Is there a recommended way of creating classes / objects in Java? Perhaps an official style guide that says things like "variables first, constructor, then methods, etc"?

Cheers!

F.

Edit: I found this styleguide --section 4 looks relevant:

http://www.bluej.org/objects-first/styleguide.html

3 Answers

Craig Dennis
STAFF
Craig Dennis
Treehouse Teacher
Craig Dennis
Craig Dennis
Treehouse Teacher

Here is Google's Java style guide and here is Android's contributor guidelines and Oracle's.

You'll see they all differ slightly. As stated, it's best to work in whatever style you land in ;)

Alice Spencer
Alice Spencer
12,273 Points
Alice Spencer
Alice Spencer
12,273 Points

I'm learning Java also, but have lucked out having my own tutor right here at home for questions. My husband is a software engineer who programs in Java, and as since it's release. I asked him your question, and his answer was

"No, it's completely up to the person programming. In fact people get into 'wars' over what is the best methodology"

I can totally see some lively discussions in my house in the future LOL (our 8 year old is getting a Minecraft Modding program for Christmas that teaches Java) so we'll have 3 of us, probably all with slightly different thoughts on the subject.

Robert Richey
PLUS
Robert Richey
Courses Plus Student 16,352 Points
Robert Richey
Robert Richey
Courses Plus Student 16,352 Points

I don't believe so. My recommendation is to try and stick with whatever style you're learning from. For example, in Stanford's Programming Methodology course, class styles looked like this

class declaration

constants

methods

variables

and it was easier to follow along with the material by adopting their styles.

Lisa Steendam
Lisa Steendam
6,825 Points
Lisa Steendam
Lisa Steendam
6,825 Points

Variables last feels really odd to me. I always use :

  • variables
  • constants
  • constuctor
  • getters/setters
  • other methods

But of course, to each their own. As long as you group things together, variables and methods mixed all over the place is not very reader friendly.