Comments in Java

In Java, comments are used to add explanatory text to your code that is ignored by the compiler. Comments are useful for documenting your code, explaining its purpose, and making it easier for other developers to understand.

Java supports three types of comments:

1. Single-line comments

Single-line comments begin with two forward slashes (//) and extend to the end of the line. For example:

// This is a single-line comment

Single-line comments are useful for adding brief comments to individual lines of code.

2. Multi-line comments

Multi-line comments begin with /* and end with */. They can span multiple lines and are used for longer comments that may require multiple sentences or paragraphs. For example:

/*
This is a multi-line comment that spans
multiple lines and can be used to provide
more detailed documentation for your code.
*/

3. Javadoc comments

Javadoc comments are a special type of comment used to document classes, methods, and fields in Java. Javadoc comments begin with /** and end with */. For example:

/**
 * This is a Javadoc comment for a method. It should include
 * a description of what the method does, any parameters it
 * takes, and the value it returns.
 *
 * @param x the first parameter
 * @param y the second parameter
 * @return the sum of x and y
 */
public int add(int x, int y) {
    return x + y;
}

Javadoc comments are used by tools like Javadoc to automatically generate documentation for your code.