Java Enum Methods

The Enum class in Java is the base class for all enumerations. An enum is a special type of class that represents a group of constants (unchangeable variables, like final variables). Enums are used to create a collection of constants that can be used to represent a specific set of values, such as days of the week, months of the year, or directions (north, south, east, west).

This guide covers various methods available in the Enum class. Each method is described in simple terms to help beginners understand how to use them. These methods provide functionality to compare, retrieve metadata, and interact with enum constants effectively.

For more detailed information, please refer to the official Java SE Documentation.

Java Enum Methods

The table below contains various methods of the Java Enum class, each with a link to a detailed explanation, examples, and real-world uses. Click on the method names to learn more about how to use them effectively in your applications.

Method	Description
compareTo()	Compares this enum with the specified object for order.
describeConstable()	Returns an optional containing the nominal descriptor for this instance.
getDeclaringClass()	Returns the class object corresponding to this enum constant's enum type.
name()	Returns the name of this enum constant, exactly as declared in its enum declaration.
ordinal()	Returns the ordinal of this enumeration constant (its position in its enum declaration).
valueOf()	Returns the enum constant of the specified enum type with the specified name.