In Java, reflection enables what capability at runtime?

In Java, reflection enables what capability at runtime?

• A. Static analysis of code during compilation
• B. A program's ability to examine and modify its own structure at runtime
• C. A mechanism for automatic memory management
• D. A language feature that enforces type safety

Answer: (B)

Reflection in Java is the ability for a running program to inspect and modify its own structure and behavior. At runtime, you can examine a class’s name, its methods, fields, constructors, and annotations, and you can dynamically instantiate objects, invoke methods, and even access or change field values that would normally be private. This empowers frameworks and libraries to work with user-defined classes without compile-time knowledge, enabling features like dynamic object creation, method invocation, and access to hidden members when allowed. It’s a runtime capability, not something you use for static analysis, automatic memory management, or enforcing type safety.

Reflection in Java is the ability for a running program to inspect and modify its own structure and behavior. At runtime, you can examine a class’s name, its methods, fields, constructors, and annotations, and you can dynamically instantiate objects, invoke methods, and even access or change field values that would normally be private. This empowers frameworks and libraries to work with user-defined classes without compile-time knowledge, enabling features like dynamic object creation, method invocation, and access to hidden members when allowed. It’s a runtime capability, not something you use for static analysis, automatic memory management, or enforcing type safety.