What are those different color symbols when we mouseover on methods in eclipse?

Question

Suppose you have a method which returning some object. So, when you hover over that method used in some other class, eclipse show you a popup with the description about that method signature and what that method would return.

But, my question is there is a little symbol ahead of what is being return. On different occasion you got different shape and color symbol.

I have a screen shots of that:

1) Green circle shape symbol

2) Red square shape symbol

3) Yellow diamond shape symbol

So,

• What is the significance of that little symbol?
• Why there is different color and shape for different different methods?
• Does that symbol give any idea about the method?

Answer 1

The symbols next to the methods refer to the access modifiers

• What is the significance of that little symbol?
  Green circle is public
  Red square means private
  Yellow diamond is protected
  Blue triangle means default(package) access

• Does that symbol give us any idea about the method?
  Yes, it tells us where it can be accessed from. For more on access modifiers: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/javaOO/accesscontrol.html

Answer 2

That are the same symbols as you see all over the IDE. Which present the visibility of the element inside your app.

The visibility of an element in a java application can be:

1. Private: Red square
2. Protexted: Yellow diamond
3. Public: Green circle

Answer 3

Red square means the method is private. Yellow diamond means the method is protected. Green circle means the method is public.