Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Non-static methods are functions or procedures that belong to an object and can only be accessed through an instance of the class. They can modify the state of an object and are not associated with a specific class.
Related terms
Dot Notation: Dot notation is used to access non-static methods by using the name of the object followed by a dot (.) and then the method name. It allows you to call specific actions on an object.
System.out.println is a commonly used non-static method in Java that prints text or values to the console. It is often used for debugging purposes or displaying information to users.
In contrast to non-static methods, static methods belong to a class itself rather than an instance of the class. They can be called directly without creating an object and cannot modify the state of an object.