Java function definition with brackets syntax [duplicate]

Question

Was looking in the source for ByteArrayOutputStream, and I saw this function:

public synchronized byte toByteArray()[] {     return Arrays.copyOf(buf, count); } 

Where is this syntax documented? I mean the [] in front of the function. Is this the same as in declaring a regular array where the bracket can go after the name of the array or before, but in this case, the bracket can go after the function name?

String[] args; 

Vs

String args[]; 

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Edit: 2018-05-22

I found even more uses of this crazy syntax here: 10 things you didn't know about Java

#3 is where they make mention of all the ways the above syntax can be exploited

Answer 1

In JLS Sec 8.4:

MethodDeclarator:     Identifier ( [FormalParameterList] ) [Dims] 

...

The declaration of a method that returns an array is allowed to place some or all of the bracket pairs that denote the array type after the formal parameter list. This syntax is supported for compatibility with early versions of the Java programming language. It is very strongly recommended that this syntax is not used in new code.