Editing Java Platform, Standard Edition (section)

====== Discovery ======
Discovery typically starts with an object and calling the {{Javadoc:SE|java/lang|Object|getClass()}} method to get the object's <code>Class</code>.  The <code>Class</code> object has several methods for discovering the contents of the class, for example:

* {{Javadoc:SE|name=getMethods()|java/lang|Class|getMethods()}} – returns an array of {{Javadoc:SE|java/lang/reflect|Method}} objects representing all the public methods of the class or interface
* {{Javadoc:SE|name=getConstructors()|java/lang|Class|getConstructors()}} – returns an array of {{Javadoc:SE|java/lang/reflect|Constructor}} objects representing all the public constructors of the class
* {{Javadoc:SE|name=getFields()|java/lang|Class|getFields()}} – returns an array of {{Javadoc:SE|java/lang/reflect|Field}} objects representing all the public fields of the class or interface
* {{Javadoc:SE|name=getClasses()|java/lang|Class|getClasses()}} – returns an array of <code>Class</code> objects representing all the public classes and interfaces that are members (e.g. [[inner class]]es) of the class or interface
* {{Javadoc:SE|name=getSuperclass()|java/lang|Class|getSuperclass()}} – returns the <code>Class</code> object representing the superclass of the class or interface (<code>null</code> is returned for interfaces)
* {{Javadoc:SE|name=getInterfaces()|java/lang|Class|getInterfaces()}} – returns an array of <code>Class</code> objects representing all the interfaces that are implemented by the class or interface