Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Both of the non-internet-based computer-related classes I'm taking this semester are (only offered as) once-per-week night classes, nominally ending at 9:30. So I'm talking with someone after class — — gee, it's bedtime already.

What do practicing Java programmers call the part of a method definition that isn't the { body }?

__________/ this bit here \___________
public static void main(String[] args) {
  // not this part
}

A quick search turned up the Java Language Specification, Second Edition calling it a MethodHeader in the grammar, but it doesn't use that term in the text and I want to know what term(s) are used in practice, not solely by language lawyers.

(“Signature” is not correct, as that includes only the method name and parameter types, not modifiers and result type.)