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Siva Nookala - 12 Apr 2016
this is one of the java keywords and it helps in referring to the current object. When we use the dot(.) operator on this keyword, then we can access the member variables of the current object. this keyword can also be used to call one constructor from another constructors of the same class.

The parameter names passed to the constructors can have the same name as the member variables of that class.
For e.g., the constructor with parameters nameParam, marksParam and sectionParam
class Student
{
    String name;
    int marks;
    char section;

    Student(String nameParam, int marksParam, char sectionParam)
    {
        name = nameParam;
        marks = marksParam;
        section = sectionParam;
    }
}
can be rewritten as
Student(String name, int marks, char section)
{
    this.name = name;
    this.marks = marks;
    this.section = section;
}
If we have the parameter name same as the member variable, then the parameter hides the member variable. That is even if we assign value to the parameter, then the member variable is not affected. We can use the this keyword to distinguish the member variable name from the parameter name. When this.name is called it is the member variable, and when only name is called it is the parameter. Similarly, this.marks and this.section are member variables, where as marks and section are parameters.
The other use this keyword is to call the same class constructors. For e.g., the following code
// CONSTRUCTOR 1
Student(String nameParam, int marksParam, char sectionParam)
{
    name = nameParam;
    marks = marksParam;
    section = sectionParam;
}
// CONSTRUCTOR 2
Student(String nameParam, int marksParam)
{
    name = nameParam;
    marks = marksParam;
    section = 'A';
}
// CONSTRUCTOR 3
Student(String nameParam)
{
    name = nameParam;
    marks = 0;
    section = 'A';
}
can be rewritten as
// CONSTRUCTOR 1
Student(String name, int marks, char section)
{
    this.name = name;
    this.marks = marks;
    this.section = section;
}
// CONSTRUCTOR 2
Student(String name, int marks)
{
    this(name, marks, 'A');
}
// CONSTRUCTOR 3
Student(String name)
{
    this(name, 0, 'A');
}
Here we have used this keyword, both to distinguish (or identify) the member variables from the parameters and also to call the same class constructor.
  • In CONSTRUCTOR 1, we have initialized the member variables this.name, this.marks and this.section with parameters name, marks and section.
  • In CONSTRUCTOR 2, we are calling the CONSTRUCTOR 1 using this keyword.
  • Similarly, in CONSTRUCTOR 3 also, we are calling the CONSTRUCTOR 1 using this keyword.

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