 <p>Perhaps the confusion is between a variable and a field. A field is a property that is associated with an object. A variable exists only in the context of a method. When the method finishes, the variable vanishes.</p> <p>A field, on the other hand, looks exactly the same as a variable except that a field is declared outside of any method, directly on the class "body". Fields and methods are declared at the same hierarchical level. You can see that on Eclipse. Check the "outline" view.</p> <p>If you need several methods to read and write the same "variable", then what you need is a field. I hope this clarifies. </p>