Java @Override annotation examples

Since Java 1.5, the @Override annotation type has been provided to allow developers to specify that a method declaration is intended to override or implement a method in a supertype (super class or super interface). When a method is marked with the @Override annotation, the compiler will perform a check to ensure that the method does indeed override or implement a method in super class or super interface. This helps in preventing unintentional errors such as misspelled method name, wrongly-typed parameters or anything that does not obey overriding rules.

Let’s consider an example. The java.lang.Object class declares the equals() method as follows:

public boolean equals(Object obj) { … }

And a class Foo is attempting to override the equals() method as follows:

class Foo {

	public boolean equals(Foo obj) {

		// Foo's implemention of equals() goes here

	}
}

This seems a perfectly legal overriding, but actually not. Rather, this is actually an overloading. Because the class Foo has the Object class as its supertype implicitly, it inherits the equals() method with a parameter of type Object:

public boolean equals(Object obj)

Whereas the Foo class’ equals() method has a parameter of type Foo:

public boolean equals(Foo obj) 

So to make sure this is exactly an overriding, put the @Override annotation before the method like this:

@Override
public boolean equals(Foo obj) {

	// Foo's implemention of equals() goes here

}

When compiling this code, the compiler will issue a compile error:

method does not override or implement a method from a supertype

So we are warned that something goes wrong, we know that this is not a legal overriding. To solve the problem, change the parameter type to Object as follows:

@Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {

	// Foo's implemention of equals() goes here

}

And the compiler will be happy.

Some Rules about @Override annotation:

When a method declaration is annotated the @Override annotation, the compiler will generate a compile-time error if:

• • The method does not override or implement a method declared in the supertype. Or:
  • The method is not an overriding version of a public method declared in the Object class. The Object’s pubic methods are: equals(), hashCode() and toString(). This is a special case regarding the interfaces in which an interface has public abstract members that correspond to the public members of Object class (Java Language Specification, section 9.2).

Java @Override Annotation Examples:

• Override a method from super class:

  Superclass:

  class Foo {
  	public void doSomething(String thing, int times) {
  
  	}
  }

  Subclass:

  class Bar extends Foo {
  	@Override
  	public void doSomething(String thing, int times) {
  		// do something cooler
  	}
  }

• Implement a method from super interface:

  Super interface:

  interface Kool {
  	void playCool(int x, int y);
  }

  Subclass:

  class Kooler implements Kool {
  	@Override
  	public void playCool(int x, int y) {
  
  	}
  }

• Override methods from the Objectclass:

  class Person {
  	@Override
  	public boolean equals(Object obj) {
  		
  	}
  
  	@Override
  	public int hashCode() {
  		
  	}
  
  	@Override
  	protected Person clone() {
  		
  	}
  }

   

• Overriding public methods of Object in an interface:

  This won’t compile because the clone() method is declared protected in the Object class:

  interface Kool {
  	@Override
  	public Object clone();
  } 

  But this will compile:

  interface Boom {
  	@Override
  	boolean equals(Object obj);
  } 

Other Annotations in Core Java:

• Java @Deprecated annotation examples
• Java @SuppressWarnings annotation examples

Other Recommended Tutorials:

• 9 Rules about Constructors in Java
• 12 Rules and Examples About Inheritance in Java
• 12 Rules of Overriding in Java You Should Know
• 10 Java Core Best Practices Every Java Programmer Should Know
• Understand Interfaces in Java
• Understand abstraction in Java
• Understand encapsulation in Java
• Understand inheritance in Java
• Understand polymorphism in Java

About the Author:

Nam Ha Minh is certified Java programmer (SCJP and SCWCD). He began programming with Java back in the days of Java 1.4 and has been passionate about it ever since. You can connect with him on Facebook and watch his Java videos on YouTube.