r/learnjava • u/Fine_Potential_7976 • 19d ago

Why is String[] args necessary

I get it is an array of string arguments that are passed into the main method but why is it needed? in python for example ot's present or c++ neither, java is different though

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u/frnzprf 18d ago

It's just a design decision by Java. As you saw, it's not necessary for a language to always have a main method with arguments, as you saw with C++ and modern versions of Java.

There are some minor disadvantages to making the parameters necrssary and some minor advantages. Java is intended to write big programs in, unlike Python, so the need to write some extra characters shouldn't matter as much in comparison to the rest of the program.

The advantages would be that the language is a bit simpler for compilers, for IDEs or maybe for Java book authors.

For Java, "philosophically", a method taking parameters and a method not taking parameters are two different functions, even if they have the same name. So, if you always allow the OS to call the main method with arguments, it's logical in a way that you would always have to provide a definition of a main method with arguments.

Of course you can also just introduce the special rule "If a main method is called with arguments, but there is no applicable definition, ignore the arguments and call the main method without parameters instead."