The Java Language Specification, Third Edition

NAMES Names and Identifiers 6.2
❖ A constant field declared in an interface type (§9.3)
❖ The field length, which is implicitly a member of every array type
(§10.7)
◆ A method, one of the following:
❖ A method (abstract or otherwise) declared in a class type (§8.4)
❖ A method (always abstract) declared in an interface type (§9.4)
• A parameter, one of the following:
◆ A parameter of a method or constructor of a class (§8.4.1, §8.8.1)
◆ A parameter of an abstract method of an interface (§9.4)
◆ A parameter of an exception handler declared in a catch clause of a try
statement (§14.20)
• A local variable, one of the following:
◆ A local variable declared in a block (§14.4)
◆ A local variable declared in a for statement (§14.14)
Constructors (§8.8) are also introduced by declarations, but use the name of the
class in which they are declared rather than introducing a new name.
6.2 Names and Identifiers
A name is used to refer to an entity declared in a program.
There are two forms of names: simple names and qualified names. A simple
name is a single identifier. A qualified name consists of a name, a “.” token, and
an identifier.
In determining the meaning of a name (§6.5), the context in which the name
appears is taken into account. The rules of §6.5 distinguish among contexts where
a name must denote (refer to) a package (§6.5.3), a type (§6.5.5), a variable or
value in an expression (§6.5.6), or a method (§6.5.7).
Not all identifiers in programs are a part of a name. Identifiers are also used in
the following situations:
DRAFT
115