Reflection is an API used to inspect or change the behavior of methods, classes, and interfaces while they are running.

The required reflection classes are provided in the java.lang.reflect package.

Reflection gives us information about the class to which an object belongs, as well as about the methods of that class that can be implemented with the object.

Through reflection, we can call a method at runtime, regardless of the access identifier used with it.

Reflection can be used to get information about –

Reflection in Java is a powerful feature that allows a program to examine and modify its own structure and behavior at runtime. It provides a way to analyze the class structure of an object, inspect and modify its fields, methods, and constructors, and create new objects and invoke methods dynamically, without knowing their names at compile time.

The reflection API is part of the Java standard library, and it is implemented by the java.lang.reflect package. The main classes and interfaces in this package are Class, Method, Field, Constructor, and Parameter. These classes allow you to obtain information about the class structure and member elements of an object, and to perform various operations on them.

Using reflection, you can create new objects, invoke methods, access and modify fields, and perform other types of dynamic operations on objects. This is particularly useful in situations where the class structure and behavior are not known at compile time, or when you need to build generic or extensible frameworks that can work with arbitrary objects.

However, reflection should be used with caution, as it can have negative performance implications, and can also make code more complex and harder to understand. Therefore, it is recommended to use reflection only when it is necessary and justified, and to use other language features and design patterns whenever possible.