Java Object getClass() Method

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Description

The Java Object getClass() method returns the runtime class of an object. That Class object is the object that is locked by static synchronized methods of the represented class.

Declaration

Following is the declaration for java.lang.Object.getClass() method

public final Class getClass()

Parameters

NA

Return Value

This method returns the object of type Class that represents the runtime class of the object.

Exception

NA

Getting class of an Object Example

The following example shows the usage of java.lang.Object.getClass() method. In this program, we've created a new instance of GregorianCalendar Class. Now using getClass() method, the class of the calendar instance is printed.

package com.tutorialspoint;

import java.util.GregorianCalendar;

public class ObjectDemo {

   public static void main(String[] args) {

      // create a new GregorianCalendar object
      GregorianCalendar cal = new GregorianCalendar();

      // print current time
      System.out.println(cal.getTime());

      // print the class of cal
      System.out.println(cal.getClass());
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

Fri May 31 16:10:41 IST 2024
class java.util.GregorianCalendar

Getting class of an Integer Example

The following example shows the usage of java.lang.Object.getClass() method. In this program, we've created a new instance of Integer Class. Now using getClass() method, the class of the integer instance is printed.

package com.tutorialspoint;

public class ObjectDemo {

   public static void main(String[] args) {

      // create a new Integer
      Integer i = Integer.valueOf(5);

      // print i
      System.out.println(i);

      // print the class of i
      System.out.println(i.getClass());
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

5
class java.lang.Integer

Getting class of an ArrayList Example

The following example shows the usage of java.lang.Object.getClass() method. In this program, we've created a new instance of ArrayList Class. Now using getClass() method, the class of the ArrayList instance is printed.

package com.tutorialspoint;

public class ObjectDemo {

   public static void main(String[] args) {

      // create a new Integer
      ArrayList<String> i = new ArrayList<>();

      // print i
      System.out.println(i);

      // print the class of i
      System.out.println(i.getClass());
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

[]
class java.util.ArrayList