Java return keyword is used in a method to get return value after execution is completed. In the method when the return statement is executed, that time program will return to the code that invoked it.
It’s not a necessary method to have a return statement. For that, the method must be declared void and it doesn’t need to contain a return statement.
Remember:-
- The return statement is used to exit from the method.
- If the method is void then a return statement not allowed.
- The return type and return value data type must be the same.
- Return is a reserved keyword in Java i.e, you can’t use it as an identifier.
- It can use for exit from a method, with or without a value.
Examples of Java return Keyword
We will check multiple examples:
1. Simple method return int value.
No logic or statements are in methods, just return an integer value.
public class Hello {
public static void main(String args[]) {
Hello hello = new Hello();
System.out.print(hello.valueM());
}
public int valueM()
{
return 90;
}
}
Output: 90
2. Passing parameter for calculations
Let’s try the example where we will pass parameters 2 and perform the additional operation, then the method will return its value.
public class Hello {
public static void main(String args[]) {
Hello hello = new Hello();
System.out.print(hello.valueM(10, 20));
}
public int valueM(int a, int b) {
int c = a + b;
return c;
}
}
Output: 30
3. Returning String
To get a string as a return value you have to change the return type and value to a string.
public class Hello {
public static void main(String args[]) {
Hello hello = new Hello();
System.out.print(hello.valueM("Hello", "Developer"));
}
public String valueM(String str1, String str2) {
return str1 + " " + str2;
}
}
Output: Hello Developer
Q: What are the Uses of the Return keywords in Java?
Answer: The return keyword can be used in two ways:-
- To return a value to the caller method.
- To stop the program execution.
Typically return is the last statement of a program. No other statement (other than statements in “finally block“) gets executed if they are after a return.
Q: How to write a method without a return value?
Answer: You have to declare the void method to don’t use a return statement. If you write a return statement with a value in a method, it will show an error. But can use the return keyword alone. See below example:-
public void valueM()
{
//statements
}
With Return keyword:
public void valueM()
{
//statements
return;
}
Do comment if you have any doubts and suggestions on this tutorial.
Note: This example (Project) is developed in IntelliJ IDEA 2018.2.6 (Community Edition)
JRE: 11.0.1
JVM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM by JetBrains s.r.o
macOS 10.14.1
Java version 11
All Java Retrun statement Example codes are in Java 11, so it may change on different from Java 9 or 10 or upgraded versions.