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

Answer 1

Even if it is an old thread, maybe some is interested.

If it is an option to you to use the same method inside the same class and archive different return types, use generics: Oracle Lesson Generics

Simple example for generic value holder class:

class GenericValue<T> {
  private T myValue;

  public GenericValue(T myValue) { this.myValue = myValue; }

  public T getVal() { return myValue; }
}

And use it like this:

public class ExampleGenericValue {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    GenericValue<Integer> intVal = new GenericValue<Integer>(10);
    GenericValue<String> strVal = new GenericValue<String>("go on ...");

    System.out.format("I: %d\nS: %s\n", intVal.getVal(), strVal.getVal());
  }
}

... will result in the following output:

I: 10
S: go on ...

Answer 2

According the JLS, you cannot however due to a feature/bug in the Java 6/7 compiler (Oracle's JDK, OpenJDK, IBM's JDK) you can have different return types for the same method signature if you use generics.

public class Main {
    public static void main(String... args) {
        Main.<Integer>print();
        Main.<Short>print();
        Main.<Byte>print();
        Main.<Void>print();
    }

    public static <T extends Integer> int print() {
        System.out.println("here - Integer");
        return 0;
    }
    public static <T extends Short> short print() {
        System.out.println("here - Short");
        return 0;
    }
    public static <T extends Byte> byte print() {
        System.out.println("here - Byte");
        return 0;
    }
    public static <T extends Void> void print() {
        System.out.println("here - Void");
    }
}

Prints

here - Integer
here - Short
here - Byte
here - Void

For more details, read my article here

Answer 3

If it's in the same class with the equal number of parameters with the same types and order, then it is not possible for example:

int methoda(String a,int b) {
        return b;
}
String methoda(String b,int c) {
        return b;    
}

if the number of parameters and their types is same but order is different then it is possible since it results in method overloading. It means if the method signature is same which includes method name with number of parameters and their types and the order they are defined.