Java reflection: Class.getConstructor throws NoSuchMethodException but Class.getConstructors finds the correct constructor

Question

I'm attempting to use reflection to create a new instance of a class, using Class.getConstructor, like so:

class Program {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // this throws NoSuchMethodException
        Constructor<Point> constructor = Point.class.getConstructor(float.class, float.class);

        // but this finds the method
        Constructor<Point>[] constructors = (Constructor<Point>[])Point.class.getConstructors();
        System.out.println(constructors[0].toString()); // public Point(float,float)
    }
}

class Point {
    public float x, y;

    public Point(float x, float y) {
        this.x = x;
        this.y = y;
    }
}

What am I doing wrong? Why can't I get the constructor by supplying argument types?

Answer 1

Your code is fine. You just need to handle the checked exception by catching it:

try {
    Constructor<Point> constructor = Point.class.getConstructor(float.class, float.class);
} catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
    System.out.println("missing constructor");
}

Or declare it in the method signature:

public static void main(String[] args) throws NoSuchMethodException {