title: java (beginner) : returning an object ? is it returned as a constant reference or what?
body: <p>I have a function that returns a user-defined object. First I want to know if that object is returned by reference and what if it was private? </p>
  
  <p>Also, how do I return it as Constant (final) reference because I don't want someone to mess with it? I'm so confused between returning an object and returning object.copy(); or object.clone(); </p>