Hovedklasse

Hovedklasse is a term used in Danish and Norwegian programming literature to denote the class that contains the program's entry point, i.e., where execution starts. In an object-oriented program, the hovedklasse often includes the main method or function that the runtime invokes at startup.

In Java, the usual pattern is a public class with a public static void main(String[] args) method. Example: public class Main { public static void main(String[] args) { System.out.println("Hello"); } }. In C#, the entry point is typically a public static Main method inside a class such as Program. Example: public class Program { public static void Main(string[] args) { Console.WriteLine("Hello"); } }

Some languages allow different models. Kotlin supports a top-level main function outside any class, while C# 9 and later offers top-level statements that reduce or remove the need for an explicit hovedklasse for simple programs.

Role and design: the hovedklasse typically coordinates initialization, configures dependencies, creates core components, and starts the primary workflow. It often serves as a thin wrapper around the runtime environment, separating startup logic from business logic.

Terminology and scope: not all languages or projects use the term hovedklasse; in English-language documentation the concept is usually referred to as the entry point class or main class. See also: entry point, main method, startup class.