Leetcode 59 Spiral Matrix II

class Solution {
    public int[][] generateMatrix(int n) {
        int[][] M = new int[n][n];
        return generate(M, n);
    }
    
    private int[][] generate(int[][] M, int k) {
        int loop = k / 2;
        int start_x = 0;
        int start_y = 0;
        int val = 1;
        int length = k;
        
        while (loop >= 0) {
            
            // top row from left to right
            for (int j = 0; j < length - 1; j++) {
                M[start_x][start_y + j] = val;
                val++;
            }
            
            // right column from top to down
            for (int i = 0; i < length - 1; i++) {
                M[start_x + i][start_y + length - 1] = val;
                val++;
            }
            
            // bottom row from right to left
            for (int j = 0; j < length - 1; j++) {
                M[start_x + length - 1][start_y + length - 1 - j] = val;
                val++;
            }
            
            // left column from bottom to top
            for (int i = 0; i < length - 1; i++) {
                M[start_x + length - 1 - i][start_y] = val;
                val++;
            }
            
            // move on the next inner circle
            start_x++;
            start_y++;
            length -= 2;
            loop--;
        }
        
        // fill in the center position if needed
        if (k % 2 == 1) {
            M[k/2][k/2] = k * k;
        }
        return M;
    }

}