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In Eclipse, the default "Members Sort Order" (in Preferences - Java - Appearance - Members Sort Order) is:

  • Types
  • Static Fields
  • Static Initializers
  • Static Methods
  • Fields
  • Initializers
  • Constructors
  • Methods

But Oracle's Java Code Conventions say the order should be:

  • Class (static) variables
  • Instance variables
  • Constructors
  • Methods

So Oracle don't distinguish between static and non-static methods in the ordering. I'm getting a Checkstyle error because of this:

Instance variable definition in wrong order.

So I'm wondering whether to modify the order in Eclipse or disable the Checkstyle check. Leaning towards disabling the Checkstyle check so everyone who joins the project doesn't have to modify their Eclipse settings but it seems a bit wrong to be ignoring the official conventions.

What are people's views and is there any other way round this?

Steve Chambers
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    Related: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7530535/java-coding-convention-about-static-method – assylias Jan 02 '13 at 15:08
  • True - hadn't seen that and it is a very similar q but having skim read am none the wiser about what to do in Eclipse! – Steve Chambers Jan 02 '13 at 15:10
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    You should make both Eclipse and Checkstyle conform to *your* judgment of what the right thing to do is. You should make that judgment after considering their input, but it's very much your decision. Personally, i'd sort static methods to the top, like Eclipse, because it makes sense (static methods are rather different things to instance methods), and that's what all the code i've ever seen does. – Tom Anderson Jan 02 '13 at 15:16
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    Also, i note that Sunacle don't even follow their own advice - in [`String`](http://hg.openjdk.java.net/jdk6/jdk6-gate/jdk/file/tip/src/share/classes/java/lang/String.java), the static fields come *after* the instance fields, and there is a static method in the midst of the constructors. – Tom Anderson Jan 02 '13 at 15:18

2 Answers2

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"So I'm wondering whether to modify the order in Eclipse or disable the Checkstyle check. Leaning towards disabling the Checkstyle check so everyone who joins the project doesn't have to modify their Eclipse settings but it seems a bit wrong to be ignoring the official conventions."

I would suggest changing Eclipse to conform to the rules that YOU want to use. Preferably using Oracles if that what you want. I usually generate my Eclipse project files using Maven (so all code formatting is created automatically for new users). I know CXF uses something similar, take a look at their POMs for inspiration.

Peter Svensson
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1

Following on from the accepted answer by Peter Svensson, these Checkstyle errors can be resolved by using the following Member Sort Order in Eclipse:

  1. Types
  2. Static Fields
  3. Fields
  4. Static Initializers
  5. Initializers
  6. Constructors
  7. Static Methods
  8. Methods
Steve Chambers
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