How to Create a Stopwatch Using Java With Code and Explanation

In this Blog, we will learn how to create a stopwatch using Java with clear code. A stopwatch is used to measure the time. We will create a simple and easy stopwatch here. After this, you can build your console-based stopwatch in Java

What is Stopwatch

A Stopwatch is used to measure the amount of time between two operations:

• Start of time

• Stop time.

Explanation

In Java, we create a stopwatch using some methods.

First, we initialize some main variables :

startTime = 0;
endTime = 0;
running = false;

• startTime stores the time when the stopwatch started.
• endTime Stores the time when the stopwatch stops.
• running is to indicate if the stopwatch is currently running or not.

Some Code Snippets

Start() Method

public void start() {
    startTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
    running = true;
}

• System.currentTimeMillis(). This inbuilt method is used to get the current time in milliseconds.
• And the running is true, which means the time has started.

Stop() Method

public void stop() {
    endTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
    running = false;
}

• This method stops the time, and we store that certain time in the endTime variable
• Here we are also using System.currentTimeMillis().
• And the running is false, which means the time is stopped

 getTime() Method

public long getTime() {
    long completeTime;
    if (running) {
        completeTime= System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime;
    } else {
        completeTime= endTime - startTime;
    }
    return completeTime/ 1000;
}

• This method calculates how much time has passed between start and stop.
• If the stopwatch is running, it calculates the start time and stores it.
• Else, the stopwatch is not running; it calculates the stop time and stores it.
• Finally, the complete time changes to seconds to milliseconds.

Reset() Method

public void reset() {
    startTime = 0;
    endTime = 0;
    running = false;
}

• The reset method resets both start and stop.
• It calculates from the start.
• The stopwatch is ready to take new measurements.

Applications

The stopwatch is used in many applications, like

• coding platforms.
• Gaming.
• In workouts.
• Task management Apps.