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Android Build a Simple Android App (2014) Improving Our Code Simple Refactoring: Creating a Class

Shane Desouza
Shane Desouza
3,523 Points
Posted by Shane Desouza
Shane Desouza
3,523 Points

Does the 'public' keyword mean the method or variable name is available to anyone?

Does it mean that it is available to anyone who wishes to use it, as in people who are programming different apps?

2 Answers

Gloria Dwomoh
Gloria Dwomoh
13,116 Points

Not exactly. Public means it can be accessed by any class (and is also visible to any class) in your package or of another package (though if you use a public class for example in another package you'd need to import it). If you make your code opensource on GitHub or other places, then other programmers can use the actual whole code you have uploaded, that has nothing to do with public/private/protected...though.

Shane Desouza
Shane Desouza
3,523 Points
Shane Desouza
Shane Desouza
3,523 Points

Right... Thanks for that! Makes it a lot easier to understand when it comes to this sort of stuff.

Gloria Dwomoh
Gloria Dwomoh
13,116 Points

You are welcome Shane :)

Jonathan Herren
Jonathan Herren
475 Points
Jonathan Herren
Jonathan Herren
475 Points

So, if it is set to public any "class" in "your" project can access it. Other people that don't have your code can NOT access it, but i understand why you thought that. :)