Editing Java syntax (section)

=====Access modifiers=====
The ''access modifiers'', or ''inheritance modifiers'', set the accessibility of classes, methods, and other members. Members marked as <code>public</code> can be reached from anywhere. If a class or its member does not have any modifiers, default access is assumed.

<syntaxhighlight lang="java">
public class Foo {
    int go() {
        return 0;
    }

    private class Bar {
    }
}
</syntaxhighlight>

The following table shows whether code within a class has access to the class or method depending on the accessing class location and the modifier for the accessed class or class member:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!width="20%"|Modifier
!width="20%"|Same class or nested class
!width="20%"|Other class inside the same package
!width="20%"|Extended Class inside another package
!width="20%"|Non-extended inside another package
|-
!<code>private</code>
|yes
|no
|no
|no
|-
!default (package private)
|yes
|yes
|no
|no
|-
!<code>protected</code>
|yes
|yes
|yes
|no
|-
!<code>public</code>
|yes
|yes
|yes
|yes
|-
|}

[[File:JavaAccessSpecifier.jpg|thumb|This image describes the class member scope within classes and packages.]]