Final answer:
In Java, the 'this' keyword is used to refer to the current object instance, invoke an overloaded constructor, pass the instance as an argument to another method, and return the instance from a method.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Java "this" keyword has various uses in the context of object-oriented programming. Here are some of the prominent uses:
- To refer to the current object instance within a method or a constructor, helping to distinguish instance variables from parameters or local variables when they have the same name.
- It can be used to invoke a constructor from another overloaded constructor in the same class. This is known as constructor chaining and helps in reducing duplicated code.
- The "this" keyword can also be used to pass the current object instance as an argument to another method.
- Furthermore, "this" can be returned from a method to return the current class instance.
Each of these uses of "this" helps in writing clearer and more maintainable Java code by making sure that the right variables and methods are being referred to or used in the code execution flow.