As a domain expert in Java programming, I'd like to clarify the concept of method overriding and the specific case of static methods. In Java, the term "overriding" is used to describe a feature where a subclass provides a different implementation for a method that is already provided by its superclass. This is a cornerstone of polymorphism in object-oriented programming.

Overriding in Java:
- Overriding occurs when a subclass defines a method with the same name and method signature as a method in its superclass.
- The method in the subclass overrides the method in the superclass.
- The key point here is that the method signature must be exactly the same, including the return type, method name, and parameter list.
- When a method is overridden, the subclass's version of the method is called when the method is invoked on an object of the subclass.

Static Methods in Java:
- Static methods are associated with the class rather than instances of the class.
- They are invoked using the class name, not an instance of the class.
- Because static methods are not part of an object's state, they cannot be overridden in the traditional sense of method overriding that applies to instance methods.

**Overloading vs. Overriding Static Methods**:
- While static methods cannot be overridden, they can be overloaded. Overloading means having two or more methods in the same class with the same name but different parameter lists (different types, number of parameters, or both).
- Overloading is about compile-time polymorphism, whereas overriding is about runtime polymorphism.

Why Static Methods Cannot Be Overridden:
- The primary reason static methods cannot be overridden is that they are not instance methods. They do not operate on an instance of an object but rather on the class itself.
- When you call a static method, the call is resolved at compile time based on the class from which it is called. This is different from instance methods, where the call is resolved at runtime based on the actual object's type that the method is invoked upon.

Design Considerations:
- Static methods are often used for utility functions that do not require access to instance variables or instance-specific behavior.
- They are ideal for situations where you want to provide a service that is independent of the state of an object.

Example:
```java
class Parent {
public static void show() {
System.out.println("This is Parent's static method.");
}
}

class Child extends Parent {
// This will not override, but overload, because static methods are not overridden.
public static void show() {
System.out.println("This is Child's static method.");
}
}
```

In the above example, calling `Child.show()` will invoke the `show` method defined in `Child`, not `Parent`. This is because the method resolution for static methods is done at compile time, and `Child.show()` is statically bound to the `Child` class.

Conclusion:
- In summary, while instance methods can be overridden to provide polymorphic behavior, static methods cannot be overridden because they are not part of an object's state and are resolved at compile time rather than runtime.

read more >>

Static methods can not be overridden because they are not part of the object's state. Rather, they belongs to the class (i.e they are class methods). It is ok to overload static (and final) methods. No,Static methods can't be overriden as it is part of a class rather than an object.Mar 26, 2011read more >>