static in main()

[cvanithakpm]

main() is a static method and is part of class. Then how is it that main can access instance members?

[poojavb]

Static methods can not directly access any instance variables or methods but they can access them by using their object reference.
Static methods may even access private instance variables via a object reference.
All private instance variables are private to its class, they can be accessed by static methods or non-static method of the class.

[NormR1]

how is it that main can access instance members?

Do you have an example where that is done? Please post it.

[kramerd]

Here's an example:

public class MyClass {
   // member variable can't be accessed directly in static method
   private String name;

   public static void main(String[] args) {
      // create an object to access its member variables
      MyClass test = new MyClass();
      test.name = "any name";
      // ... do some other stuff
   }
}

[NormR1]

That example is how every and any method in any class would do it.

[stultuske]

although most would perfer the use of mutators instead of directly trying to access (private) instance variables

[richieking]

That is the getters and the setters methods.