Java Illuminated, 5th Edition

3.3 Calling Methods

Once an object is instantiated, we can use the object by calling its methods. As we mentioned earlier, the authors of classes publish their API so that their clients know what methods are available and how to call those methods.

Figure 3.2 illustrates how calling a class method alters the flow of control in our program. When this program starts running, the JVM executes instruction 1, then instruction 2, then it encounters a method call.

At that point, the JVM transfers control to the method and starts executing instructions in the method. When the method finishes executing, the JVM transfers control back to the program immediately after the point the method was called and continues executing instructions in the program. ...