How to determine an object's class?

Question

If class `B` and class `C` extend class `A` and I have an object of type `B` or `C`, how can I determine of which type it is an instance?

Answer 1

public class A {...}

public class B extends A {...}

public class C extends A {...}

...

public static void main(String[] args) {

ArrayList<A> aList = new ArrayList<A>();

aList.add(new B());

aList.add(new C());

for(A a: aList) {

if(a instanceof A) {

System.out.println("Object is instance of class A!");

}

}

}

Output

Object is instance of class A!

Object is instance of class A!

Logic is fairly straightforward. instanceof keyword in Java does just that.