why Exception or Error not generated when no main method found?

Question

Ok just for sake knowledge , I tried below cases (Assume that Class A and B are in same package)

ClassA

public class ClassA {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
     System.out.println("A");
  }
}

ClassB

public class ClassB extends ClassA {

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    System.out.println("B");
  }
}

executing above ClassB it will produce output of B now after below change in classB

ClassB

public class ClassB extends ClassA {
   //blank body
}

If I compile and run in terminal it gives me output A that was totally surprising as it should had given NoSuchMethodError as no main method was their so kindly explain the weird behavior ?

Note: Many answers contains Override word please use hiding as we cannot override static methods in java.

Answer 1

In the first case, you're hiding the main method since you're defining a new one in the subclass, in the second case you didn't you'll inherent A's main.

See The Java™ Tutorials - Overriding and Hiding:

If a subclass defines a static method with the same signature as a static method in the superclass, then the method in the subclass hides the one in the superclass.