Comments in Java

Comments are essential for making your code more understandable to yourself and others who might read it later. They provide context, explanations, and documentation for your code.

Types of Comments

Single Line Comments

Single line comments start with // and are used for short explanations.

public class SingleLineCommentDemo {

    int age; // Represent the age of the Customer

    // Maximum number of login retry attempts allowed
    static final int MAX_RETRY_ATTEMPTS = 3;

    // main method is used to start the Java program
    public static void main(String[] args) {

        // Y indicates YES
        char y = 'Y';
        // N indicates NO
        char n = 'N';

        sum(12, 8);

    }

    public static void sum (int num1, int num2){
        int num3 = num1 + num2;
        // System.out.println(num3);
    }

}

Multi-line Comments

Multi-line comments are enclosed within /* */ and are useful for longer explanations or commenting out blocks of code.

public class MultiLineCommentsDemo {

    /*
        Based on business requirements, the end user is
        allowed to retry a maximum of 3 login attempts.
        Using the below constant, the same is going to be
        controlled. If the requirement changes, then change
        the below value
     */
    static final int MAX_RETRY_ATTEMPTS = 3;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        MultiLineCommentsDemo obj = new MultiLineCommentsDemo();
        double totalArea = obj.calculateRectangleArea(24.5, 34.6);
        System.out.println(totalArea);
    }

    /*
    This method calculates the area of the rectangle based
     on given length and width. The logic it is going to have
     is multiply two given input method arguments and return
     the same to the caller
     */
     public double calculateRectangleArea (double length, double width) {
        return length*width;
    }

}

Javadoc Comments

Javadoc comments start with /** and are used to generate documentation for your code.

/**
 *  This is a sample class to show demo about
 *  javadoc
 *
 * <p>
 *     This is a sample demo of
 *     <b>paragraph</b>
 * </p>
 *
 * @see MultiLineCommentsDemo
 * @author  Madan Reddy
 * @since 1.0
 */
public class JavaDocCommentsDemo {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

    }


    /**
     * Take two {@code int} numbers as input
     * and add them
     * <p>
     *     <b>For example, 2+3 =5</b>
     * </p>
     * @param num1 Represent first number
     * @param num2 Represent second number
     * @return sum value of first and second number
     */
    public int sum (int num1, int num2) {
        return num1+num2;
    }

}

Conclusion

• In Java, comments play a crucial role in making your code understandable and maintainable. They provide insights into the logic, purpose, and functionality of your code, helping developers navigate through complex systems with ease. By using different types of comments such as single line, multi-line, and Javadoc comments, you can effectively document your codebase.
• Remember to follow best practices such as clarity, conciseness, relevance, and keeping comments up-to-date to ensure their effectiveness
• Keep coding, keep commenting, and make your Java projects shine! 🌟👩‍💻👨‍💻