Thread: 'this' implicit parameter

Good evening everybody!

I'm learning Java right now in university and, for the most part, it's making sense. I'm struggling to understand how the implicit parameter 'this' works. Take, for example, the following block of code:

public class ShapeSquare {
// private fields
private double sideLength;
 
// public methods
public void setSideLength(double sideLength) {
this.sideLength = sideLength;
}
 
public double getArea() {
return sideLength * sideLength;
}
}

I'm getting more and more familiar with language, so I don't need it to be in layperson's terms, but the simpler you can make the explanation the better. Thanks in advance everyone! You'll probably hear from me lots as I continue to learn!

Originally Posted by Norm

Can you be more specific about the problems you are having?

Is your question about this statement:
this.sideLength = sideLength;

The variable sideLength is defined in two separate scopes: one in the class and one in the method.
this is needed to reference the one in the class.

Hey - yes this was exactly my question. So essentially, the

 this

line is equating the SideLength variable in the Class with the SideLength in the method?

If this is right, thanks so much!