What is the main method in Java? (public static void main)
Jul 09, 2025 am 01:30 AMThe main method in Java is the entry point of any standalone Java application. 1. It must be declared as public so that the JVM can access it. 2. It must be static so that the JVM can call it without creating an instance of the class. 3. It must return void because it does not return any value to the JVM. 4. It must be named main so that the JVM can identify it as the starting point. 5. It must accept a String array as its parameter to receive command-line arguments. If any part of this signature is altered, the JVM will fail to recognize it, resulting in an error.
The main method in Java is the entry point of any standalone Java application. When you run a Java program, the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) starts executing the code from the main
method. It’s how your program gets kicked off.

Here’s what it looks like:
public static void main(String[] args)
If this method isn’t present in your class, the JVM won’t be able to start your program and will throw an error.

What each part of the main method means
Let’s break down the full signature:
public static void main(String[] args)
public
– This access modifier means the method can be accessed from anywhere, including by the JVM itself.static
– Because the JVM calls this method without creating an instance of the class, the method must be static.void
– The method doesn’t return any value.main
– This is the name of the method; the JVM specifically looks for a method namedmain
.String[] args
– These are command-line arguments passed into the program. You can use them to customize behavior when starting the app.
If any part of this signature is changed incorrectly (like making it non-static or changing the parameter type), the JVM won’t recognize it as the entry point.

How to write and run a main method
Writing a main method is straightforward. Here's a simple example:
public class HelloWorld { public static void main(String[] args) { System.out.println("Hello, world!"); } }
To run this:
- Save it in a file called
HelloWorld.java
- Compile it with
javac HelloWorld.java
- Run it with
java HelloWorld
You can also pass arguments:
java HelloWorld arg1 arg2
These values will show up inside the args
array in your program.
A few things to remember:
- The class containing
main
must be public if it’s in a file with the same name. - You can have multiple classes in one file, but only one can be public.
- If you're using an IDE like IntelliJ or Eclipse, it handles most of this for you.
Common mistakes beginners make
It’s easy to accidentally break the main method signature. Here are some common issues:
- ? Using a different name like
Main
orstart
- ? Forgetting
static
, which leads to "main method not found" errors - ? Changing the parameter to something like
int[] args
or omitting it entirely - ? Not making the method
public
Also, note that:
- You can have more than one
main
method in different classes — just tell the JVM which one to use. - In newer Java versions (9 ), there are modules and other ways to structure apps, but the classic
main
method still works.
So yes, public static void main(String[] args)
is the standard way to start a Java program. It might look strict, but that’s because the JVM relies on it to launch your app cleanly. Once you understand each part, it makes sense why it’s written that way.
That’s basically it — nothing magical, just a well-defined rule.
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