Default Enumeration Methods

Question

An enum contains the name and valueOf methods.

Agian we know that the Java Compiler automatically generates a static method for each enum, called values.

This method returns an array of all constants defined inside the enum.

As there is an static method values, then why should we use name() method? Then what are the difference between the static method values() and the valueof() method?

Answer 1

Read their javadoc (Thread.State, for example, inheriting Enum, like all the enums), and you'll see what they're for.

name() is an instance method which returns the name of the instance.

valueOf() is a static method taking a String and returning the enum instance with that name.

values() is a static method returning all the enum instances.