Dr Bharti Sharma

Constructor Chaining In Java with Examples

Constructor chaining is the process of calling one constructor from another constructor with respect to current
object.
One of the main use of constructor chaining is to avoid duplicate codes while having multiple constructor (by
means of constructor overloading) and make code more readable.

Constructor chaining can be done in two ways:

 Within same class: It can be done using this() keyword for constructors in the same class
 From base class: by using super() keyword to call the constructor from the base class.

Constructor chaining occurs through inheritance. A sub-class constructor’s task is to call super class’s constructor
first. This ensures that the creation of sub class’s object starts with the initialization of the data members of the
superclass. There could be any number of classes in the inheritance chain. Every constructor calls up the chain till
the class at the top is reached.

Why do we need constructor chaining?

This process is used when we want to perform multiple tasks in a single constructor rather than creating a code
for each task in a single constructor we create a separate constructor for each task and make their chain which
makes the program more readable.
 Dr Bharti Sharma

Constructor Chaining within the same class using this() keyword:

 Dr Bharti Sharma

 Java

// Java program to illustrate Constructor Chaining

// within same class Using this() keyword

class Temp

// default constructor 1

// default constructor will call another constructor

// using this keyword from same class

Temp()

// calls constructor 2
 Dr Bharti Sharma

this(5);

System.out.println("The Default constructor");

// parameterized constructor 2

Temp(int x)

// calls constructor 3

this(5, 15);

System.out.println(x);

}
 Dr Bharti Sharma

// parameterized constructor 3

Temp(int x, int y)

System.out.println(x * y);

public static void main(String args[])

// invokes default constructor first

new Temp();

Output:
75
 Dr Bharti Sharma

5
The Default constructor
Rules of constructor chaining :
1. The this() expression should always be the first line of the constructor.
2. There should be at-least be one constructor without the this() keyword (constructor 3 in above
example).
3. Constructor chaining can be achieved in any order.

What happens if we change the order of constructors?

Nothing, Constructor chaining can be achieved in any order
 Java

// Java program to illustrate Constructor Chaining

// within same class Using this() keyword

// and changing order of constructors

class Temp

{
 Dr Bharti Sharma

// default constructor 1

Temp()

System.out.println("default");

// parameterized constructor 2

Temp(int x)

// invokes default constructor

this();

System.out.println(x);
 Dr Bharti Sharma

// parameterized constructor 3

Temp(int x, int y)

// invokes parameterized constructor 2

this(5);

System.out.println(x * y);

public static void main(String args[])

{
 Dr Bharti Sharma

// invokes parameterized constructor 3

new Temp(8, 10);

Output:
default
5
80
NOTE: In example 1, default constructor is invoked at the end, but in example 2 default constructor is invoked
at first. Hence, order in constructor chaining is not important.

Constructor Chaining to other class using super() keyword :

 Java

// Java program to illustrate Constructor Chaining to

 Dr Bharti Sharma

// other class using super() keyword

class Base

String name;

// constructor 1

Base()

this("");

System.out.println("No-argument constructor of" +

" base class");

}
 Dr Bharti Sharma

// constructor 2

Base(String name)

this.name = name;

System.out.println("Calling parameterized constructor"

+ " of base");

class Derived extends Base

{
 Dr Bharti Sharma

// constructor 3

Derived()

System.out.println("No-argument constructor " +

"of derived");

// parameterized constructor 4

Derived(String name)

// invokes base class constructor 2

super(name);
 Dr Bharti Sharma

System.out.println("Calling parameterized " +

"constructor of derived");

public static void main(String args[])

// calls parameterized constructor 4

Derived obj = new Derived("test");

// Calls No-argument constructor

// Derived obj = new Derived();

}
 Dr Bharti Sharma

Output:
Calling parameterized constructor of base
Calling parameterized constructor of derived
Note : Similar to constructor chaining in same class, super() should be the first line of the constructor as super
class’s constructor are invoked before the sub class’s constructor.

Alternative method : using Init block :

When we want certain common resources to be executed with every constructor we can put the code in the init
block. Init block is always executed before any constructor, whenever a constructor is used for creating a new
object.
Example 1:
 Java

class Temp

// block to be executed before any constructor.

 Dr Bharti Sharma

System.out.println("init block");

// no-arg constructor

Temp()

System.out.println("default");

// constructor with one argument.

Temp(int x)
 Dr Bharti Sharma

System.out.println(x);

public static void main(String[] args)

// Object creation by calling no-argument

// constructor.

new Temp();

// Object creation by calling parameterized

// constructor with one parameter.

 Dr Bharti Sharma

new Temp(10);

Output:

init block
default
init block
10
NOTE: If there are more than one blocks, they are executed in the order in which they are defined within the
same class. See the ex.
Example :

 Java

class Temp
 Dr Bharti Sharma

// block to be executed first

System.out.println("init");

Temp()

System.out.println("default");

Temp(int x)

System.out.println(x);
 Dr Bharti Sharma

// block to be executed after the first block

// which has been defined above.

System.out.println("second");

public static void main(String args[])

new Temp();

new Temp(10);

}
 Dr Bharti Sharma

Output :
init
second
default
init
second
10
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