Static method in a generic class?

You can't use a class's generic type parameters in static methods or static fields. The class's type parameters are only in scope for instance methods and instance fields. For static fields and static methods, they are shared among all instances of the class, even instances of different type parameters, so obviously they cannot depend on a particular type parameter.

It doesn't seem like your problem should require using the class's type parameter. If you describe what you are trying to do in more detail, maybe we can help you find a better way to do it.

Java doesn't know what T is until you instantiate a type.

Maybe you can execute static methods by calling Clazz<T>.doit(something) but it sounds like you can't.

The other way to handle things is to put the type parameter in the method itself:

static <U> void doIt(U object)

which doesn't get you the right restriction on U, but it's better than nothing....

Since static variables are shared by all instances of the class. For example if you are having following code

class Class<T> {
  static void doIt(T object) {
    // using T here 
  }
}

T is available only after an instance is created. But static methods can be used even before instances are available. So, Generic type parameters cannot be referenced inside static methods and variables

When you specify a generic type for your class, JVM know about it only having an instance of your class, not definition. Each definition has only parametrized type.

Generics work like templates in C++, so you should first instantiate your class, then use the function with the type being specified.

@BD at Rivenhill: Since this old question has gotten renewed attention last year, let us go on a bit, just for the sake of discussion. The body of your doIt method does not do anything T-specific at all. Here it is:

public class Clazz<T> {
  static <T> void doIt(T object) {
    System.out.println("shake that booty '" + object.getClass().toString()
                       + "' !!!");
  }
// ...
}

So you can entirely drop all type variables and just code

public class Clazz {
  static void doIt(Object object) {
    System.out.println("shake that booty '" + object.getClass().toString()
                       + "' !!!");
  }
// ...
}

Ok. But let's get back closer to the original problem. The first type variable on the class declaration is redundant. Only the second one on the method is needed. Here we go again, but it is not the final answer, yet:

public class Clazz  {
  static <T extends Saying> void doIt(T object) {
    System.out.println("shake that booty "+ object.say());
  }

  public static void main(String args[]) {
    Clazz.doIt(new KC());
    Clazz.doIt(new SunshineBand());
  }
}
// Output:
// KC
// Sunshine

interface Saying {
      public String say();
}

class KC implements Saying {
      public String say() {
          return "KC";
      }
}

class SunshineBand implements Saying {
      public String say() {
          return "Sunshine";
      }
}

However, it's all too much fuss about nothing, since the following version works just the same way. All it needs is the interface type on the method parameter. No type variables in sight anywhere. Was that really the original problem?

public class Clazz  {
  static void doIt(Saying object) {
    System.out.println("shake that booty "+ object.say());
  }

  public static void main(String args[]) {
    Clazz.doIt(new KC());
    Clazz.doIt(new SunshineBand());
  }
}

interface Saying {
      public String say();
}

class KC implements Saying {
      public String say() {
          return "KC";
      }
}

class SunshineBand implements Saying {
      public String say() {
          return "Sunshine";
      }
}

T is not in the scope of the static methods and so you can't use T in the static method. You would need to define a different type parameter for the static method. I would write it like this:

class Clazz<T> {

  static <U> void doIt(U object) {
    // ...
  }

}

For example:

public class Tuple<T> {

    private T[] elements;

    public static <E> Tuple<E> of(E ...args){
        if (args.length == 0) 
             return new Tuple<E>();
        return new Tuple<E>(args);
    }

    //other methods
}