what is difference between declaring variable out of main method and inside main method?

Question

When I was reading book about Java , I saw one example written like this. And I am wondering can I declare variable in outside of main method ? What is difference between declar

Answer 1

The difference is now your an_integer has more scope.

Example if you have another method.

public class Printstuff {
      static int an_integer = 0;
        public static void main(String[] args) {
          int an_integer = 2;
          String[] some_strings = {"Shoes", "Suit", "Tie" };
          an_integer = an_integer - 1;
          some_strings[an_integer] = some_strings[an_integer] +"+++";
          for (int i = 0; i < some_strings.length; i++)
            System.out.println(some_strings[Printstuff.an_integer]);
        }

      public void anotherMethod(){
         an_integer++;
      }


    }

As you declared

int an_integer=0;

All clases in the same package has access to this variable.