this keyword in Java

'this' is a keyword in Java language which refers to current object. Current object means the instance on which any method is called. Suppose we have defined a class named Cl and two instance data members of this class is int a and b. One of the methods in the class is public void takeData(int a, int b) and 'obj' is the object created.

Suppose the function is defined like:

public void takeData(int a, int b)
{
 a=a;
b=b;
}

There will be no compile time or run time error but the data members will not get any value as compiler will fail to detect whether object members or function are getting value as name of both are same. In the above function, function members are setting values on object members so the codes should be like:

public void takeData(int a, int b)
{
 this.a=a;
this.b=b;
}

Here 'this' refers to the object 'obj' and we cann't use the name of the object here as there is no intimation about the object before or within the function body.

'this' can not be used inside any static function.