Return statement facts for kids

A return statement is the information that part of a computer program gives to another part. In object-oriented programming, the term return is used by methods to perform an output. Much like when a button is pressed on a vending machine, then the item you bought comes out (the vending machine returns your item), and so when an object performs a method, something is returned. Specifically what is returned depends on an special identifier called a return type.

Return Type

A return type is a required part of any method, because it tells the computer what the user wants to be returned to whatever called (used) the method. If an integer was expected, then typically the method would have a return type of int, as int is the common name for an integer in computer science. There are several return types that can be found to most programming languages.

Integer

Means a method returns an integer, a whole number.

Double

Means a method returns a double value. This is the default method of using numbers with decimal points.