In Java, what is the access scope of a protected method declared in a class?

Introduction / Context:
Java provides four main access levels for class members: private, default (package private), protected, and public. The protected modifier often confuses developers because its rules combine package based access with inheritance based access. Knowing exactly who can see a protected method is important in object oriented design and is a common topic in Java interviews.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are working with Java classes and their methods.
• The method is declared protected inside a class.
• We consider both package membership and subclass relationships.
• We assume standard Java access control without special frameworks.

Concept / Approach:
In Java, a protected member has two kinds of visibility. First, it is visible to all classes in the same package, just like a member with default (no explicit modifier) access. Second, it is visible to subclasses of the declaring class, even if those subclasses are in a different package. However, access from a subclass in another package must still respect inheritance rules; the subclass typically accesses the member through an instance of the subclass or directly, not through an arbitrary instance of the base class. This dual rule makes protected more flexible than default access but still more restricted than public.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that private members are accessible only within the same class. Step 2: Remember that default (no modifier) members are accessible within the same package but not in subclasses in other packages. Step 3: Understand that protected extends default access by allowing subclasses in other packages to access the member. Step 4: Note that protected does not make a method visible to every class everywhere; non-subclass code in a different package still cannot access it directly. Step 5: Match these rules with the option that says the method is accessible in the same package and in subclasses even if they are in different packages.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by writing a small experiment. Create a package p1 with a base class Base that has a protected method. In the same package, another class Friend can call the protected method on a Base instance because of package level visibility. In a different package p2, create a subclass Derived that extends Base. Derived can call the protected method on itself or on another Derived instance because of inheritance based visibility. However, a completely unrelated class in p2 that does not extend Base cannot call the protected method on a Base object. This behaviour matches the documented access rules for protected members in Java.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option It is accessible only within the same class: This describes private, not protected, access. Option It is accessible from any class in any package (completely public): This describes public access, which is broader than protected. Option It is accessible only in subclasses that are in the same package: Protected access also allows visibility in all classes of the same package, not just subclasses.

Common Pitfalls:
Developers often confuse protected with package private, assuming that protected members are visible only in subclasses and forgetting the same package rule, or they think protected is just like public for subclasses. Another pitfall is misunderstanding how protected works in subclasses in other packages, where access usually must go through the subclass type, not through arbitrary base class instances. For interview answers, it is important to state clearly that protected provides access within the same package and to subclasses in other packages.

Final Answer:
A protected method in Java is accessible within the same package and also in subclasses even if they are in different packages.