Can two Java methods have same name with different return types? [duplicate]

Answer 1

The java documentation states:

The compiler does not consider return type when differentiating methods, so you cannot declare two methods with the same signature even if they have a different return type.

See: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/javaOO/methods.html

Answer 2

You can have two methods with the same arguments and different return types only if one of the methods is inherited and the return types are compatible.

For example:

public class A
{
    Object foo() { return null; }
}

public class B
    extends A
{
    String foo() { return null; }
}

Answer 3

No. C++ and Java both disallow overloading on a functions's return type. The reason is that overloading on return-type can be confusing (it can be hard for developers to predict which overload will be called). In fact, there are those who argue that any overloading can be confusing in this respect and recommend against it, but even those who favor overloading seem to agree that this particular form is too confusing.

Answer 4

Only if their parameter declarations are different from memory.

Answer 5

Only, if they accept different parameters. If there are no parameters, then you must have different names.

int doSomething(String s);
String doSomething(int); // this is fine


int doSomething(String s);
String doSomething(String s); // this is not

Answer 6

If both methods have same parameter types, but different return type than it is not possible. From Java Language Specification, Java SE 8 Edition, §8.4.2. Method Signature:

Two methods or constructors, M and N, have the same signature if they have the same name, the same type parameters (if any) (§8.4.4), and, after adapting the formal parameter types of N to the the type parameters of M, the same formal parameter types.

If both methods has different parameter types (so, they have different signature), then it is possible. It is called overloading.