Can You Override Private or Static Methods in Java?

Understand whether private or static methods can be overridden in Java. Learn the difference between method hiding and overriding with clear examples.

🔍 Quick Answer

1️⃣ Why You Can’t Override private Methods

• private methods are not inherited by subclasses.
• Therefore, you cannot override them.

📌 Example:

class Parent {
    private void showMessage() {
        System.out.println("Parent's showMessage");
    }
}

class Child extends Parent {
    private void showMessage() {
        System.out.println("Child's showMessage");
    }
}

Even though both classes have a method named showMessage(), it’s not overriding — it’s just a new private method local to each class.

🔒 Private methods are completely hidden from subclasses.

2️⃣ Why You Can’t Override static Methods

• static methods belong to the class, not the instance.
• So they cannot be overridden, only hidden.

This is called method hiding, not overriding.

📌 Example:

class Parent {
    static void show() {
        System.out.println("Parent's static show()");
    }
}…