Can static methods be overridden in Java?

In Java, static methods cannot be overridden in the traditional sense because they are associated with the class, not with an instance.

If a static method with the same signature is declared in a subclass, it is called method hiding, not overriding.

Example:

class Parent {
    static void staticMethod() {
        System.out.println("Parent static method");
    }
}

class Child extends Parent {
    static void staticMethod() {
        System.out.println("Child static method");
    }
}

public class Test {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Parent p = new Child();
        p.staticMethod(); // Will print "Parent static method"

        Child.staticMethod(); // Will print "Child static method"
    }
}

Thus, the call to a static method depends on the type of the reference, not the object, and overriding does not occur.