JList.getSelectionBackground() has the following syntax.
public Color getSelectionBackground()
In the following code shows how to use JList.getSelectionBackground() method.
//from w ww.j a v a 2 s . c om import java.awt.Component; import javax.swing.JComponent; import javax.swing.JFrame; import javax.swing.JLabel; import javax.swing.JList; import javax.swing.JScrollPane; import javax.swing.ListCellRenderer; import javax.swing.ListModel; import javax.swing.event.ListDataListener; public class Main extends JFrame { Main(String s) { super(s); ListModel lm = new StaticListModel(); JList list = new JList(); list.setModel(lm); list.setCellRenderer(new MyCellRenderer()); getContentPane().add(new JScrollPane(list)); setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE); } public static void main(String[] s) { Main l = new Main("ListModel"); l.pack(); l.setVisible(true); } class MyCellRenderer extends JLabel implements ListCellRenderer { public Component getListCellRendererComponent(JList list, Object value, int index, boolean isSelected, boolean cellHasFocus) { Component c = null; if (value == null) { c = new JLabel("(null)"); } else if (value instanceof Component) { c = (Component) value; } else { c = new JLabel(value.toString()); } if (isSelected) { c.setBackground(list.getSelectionBackground()); c.setForeground(list.getSelectionForeground()); } else { c.setBackground(list.getBackground()); c.setForeground(list.getForeground()); } if (c instanceof JComponent) { ((JComponent) c).setOpaque(true); } return c; } } class StaticListModel implements ListModel { private final Object[] data = { "Hello", new Object(), new java.util.Date(), new JLabel("Hello world!"), this, }; public Object getElementAt(int index) { return data[index]; } public int getSize() { return data.length; } public void addListDataListener(ListDataListener ldl) { } public void removeListDataListener(ListDataListener ldl) { } } }