---
title: What is super keyword ?
description: "***What is super keyword ?*** The *super* keyword in Java is used to refer to the immediate parent class object. It is commonly used to: **1.** **Access Parent Class Methods:** To call methods from the parent class that have been…"
url: "https://vinothqaacademy.com/docs/what-is-super-keyword/"
updated: "2025-10-05"
category: Java
tags:
  - Java
---

# What is super keyword ?

***What is super keyword ?***

The *super* keyword in Java is used to refer to the immediate parent class object. It is commonly used to:

**1.** **Access Parent Class Methods:** To call methods from the parent class that have been overridden in the subclass.

2. **Access Parent Class Constructors:** To invoke a constructor of the parent class from the subclass constructor.

3. **Access Parent Class Fields:** To access fields of the parent class if they are hidden by subclass fields.

### **Key Uses of*super***

1. **Calling Parent Class Methods:** If a method is overridden in the subclass, *super* can be used to call the parent class's version of that method.

2. **Calling Parent Class Constructor:***super* can be used in the subclass constructor to explicitly call a constructor of the parent class.

3. **Accessing Parent Class Fields:** *supe*r is used to refer to fields in the parent class that are hidden by fields in the subclass.

### ***Examples***

**1. Calling Parent Class Methods**

```javascript

                class Animal {

    void makeSound() {

        System.out.println("Animal makes a sound");

    }

}

class Dog extends Animal {

    @Override

    void makeSound() {

        System.out.println("Dog barks");

    }

    void callSuperSound() {

        // Calling the parent class method

        super.makeSound();

    }

}

public class Main {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Dog myDog = new Dog();

        myDog.makeSound();       

        myDog.callSuperSound();  

    }

}

Output:
Dog barks
Animal makes a sound
```

In this example, *super.makeSound()* is used in the *Dog* class to call the *makeSound* method from the *Animal* class, which has been overridden in *Dog.*

**2. Calling Parent Class Constructor**

```javascript

                class Animal {

    Animal() {

        System.out.println("Animal constructor");

    }

}

class Dog extends Animal {

    Dog() {

        // Calling the parent class constructor

        super();

        System.out.println("Dog constructor");

    }

}

public class Main {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Dog myDog = new Dog();

    }

}
```

In this example, *super()* in the *Dog* constructor calls the *Animal* constructor before executing the *Dog* constructor's own code.

**3. Accessing Parent Class Fields**

```javascript

                class Animal {

    String color = "Unknown";

}

class Dog extends Animal {

    String color = "Brown";

    void printColors() {

        // Accessing parent class field

        System.out.println("Parent color: " + super.color);

        // Accessing subclass field

        System.out.println("Current color: " + this.color);

    }

}

public class Main {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Dog myDog = new Dog();

        myDog.printColors();

    }

}
```

*In this example, super.color is used to access the color field from the Animal class, while this.color accesses the color field from the Dog class.*

### **Summary**

- *super* Keyword: Refers to the parent class's fields, methods, and constructors.
- Calling Parent Class Methods: *super.methodName()*
- Calling Parent Class Constructor: *super()*
- Accessing Parent Class Fields: *super.fieldName*

The *super*keyword helps in clarifying which parent class method, field, or constructor you are referring to, particularly in cases where the subclass overrides or hides members of the parent class.