Methods in Java commonly begin with which type of letter?

In Java, methods typically begin with a lowercase letter, adhering to the camelCase naming convention. This convention involves starting the method name with a lowercase letter and capitalizing the first letter of each subsequent word within the name. For instance, a method designed to calculate the area might be named calculateArea.

Starting method names with a lowercase letter helps to establish a clear distinction between methods and class names in Java, where class names conventionally start with an uppercase letter. This naming strategy enhances code readability and maintains consistency across codebases, making it easier for developers to understand what each component of the code represents at a glance.

Using numbers, uppercase letters, or special characters to begin method names would violate Java's naming conventions and could lead to confusion or errors in code interpretation, making it crucial for programmers to adhere to the established guidelines.