How am I able to access protected method from a class which doesn't inherit from that class?

Question

public class Doubt1{
    public static void main(String[] args){
        Manager m1 = new Manager(25000);
        Manager m2 = new Manager(25000);``

        System.out.println(m1.getSalary(250000) + " " + m2.getSalary()); //how is m1.getSalary working when getSalary(int) is protected in Employee class
    }
}

class Employee{
    protected int salary;

    public Employee(int s){
        salary = s;
    }

    protected int getSalary(int s){
        return salary + s; 
    }
}

class Manager extends Employee{

    public Manager(int s){
        super(s);
    }
    public int getSalary(){
        return salary;
    }
}

I have overloaded getSalary method from Employee class in manager class. getSalaray(int) method of Employee class has protected access and hence, can only be accessed from Manager class. But when I call m1.getSalary(25000), why is the compiler not complaining about "protected access in employee class" as it does when I declare the method private? Or is protected access modifier something else than what I assume it to be?

possible duplicate of [In Java, what's the difference between public, default, protected, and private?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/215497/in-java-whats-the-difference-between-public-default-protected-and-private) — CubeJockey, Apr 17 '15 at 18:20

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 17 '15 at 18:18

3

The protected access modifier allows more forms of access than private. Because the method is in the same package or subclass, the access is allowed.

More info here http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/javaOO/accesscontrol.html

answered Apr 17 '15 at 18:18

CubeJockey

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score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 17 '15 at 18:20

protected method allows access by other members of the same package, in addition to subclasses that are not in the same package.

Access Levels Chart:

Modifier    Class   Package  Subclass   World
public        Y        Y        Y         Y
protected     Y        Y        Y         N
no modifier   Y        Y        N         N
private       Y        N        N         N

How am I able to access protected method from a class which doesn't inherit from that class?

2 Answers2