Introduction to Methods

A method is a named, reusable block of code that performs a specific task. Instead of writing the same logic over and over, you write it once inside a method and call the method by name whenever you need it.

Anatomy of a Method

Every method declaration has a few parts:

• Access modifier — public or private, controls who can call the method
• static — a static method belongs to the class itself, so you can call it without creating an object
• Return type — the kind of value the method sends back, such as String or Integer (or void for nothing)
• Name — a descriptive name written in camelCase
• Parameter list — the inputs the method accepts, inside parentheses (this can be empty)
• Body — the code between curly braces that runs when the method is called

A Simple Example

public static String getGreeting() {
    return 'Hello from Apex!';
}

This method is public, static, returns a String, is named getGreeting, and takes no parameters. The body returns a text value.

Calling a Method

To run a method, write its name followed by parentheses. If the method returns a value, you can store it in a variable:

String message = getGreeting();
System.debug(message); // Hello from Apex!

Why Methods Matter

• Reuse — write the logic once and call it from many places
• Readability — a good method name explains what the code does
• Testing — small, focused methods are easy to test on their own