Non-overridable methods (``private`` or ``final``) that don't access instance data can be ``static`` to prevent any misunderstanding about the contract of the method.

== Noncompliant Code Example

----
class Utilities {
  private static String magicWord = "magic";

  private String getMagicWord() { // Noncompliant
    return magicWord;
  }

  private void setMagicWord(String value) { // Noncompliant
    magicWord = value;
  }

}
----

== Compliant Solution

----
class Utilities {
  private static String magicWord = "magic";

  private static String getMagicWord() {
    return magicWord;
  }

  private static void setMagicWord(String value) {
    magicWord = value;
  }

}
----

== Exceptions

When ``java.io.Serializable`` is implemented the following three methods are excluded by the rule:

* ``private void writeObject(java.io.ObjectOutputStream out) throws IOException;``
* ``private void readObject(java.io.ObjectInputStream in) throws IOException, ClassNotFoundException;``
* ``private void readObjectNoData() throws ObjectStreamException;``