What is the difference between a static and a non-

Question

My question is about one particular usage of static keyword. It is possible to use static keyword to cover a code block within a class which does not belong to any function. For example following code compiles:

public class Test {
    private static final int a;    
    static {
        a = 5;
        doSomething(a);
    }
    private static int doSomething(int x) {
        return (x+5);
    }
}

If you remove the static keyword it complains because the variable a is final. However it is possible to remove both final and static keywords and make it compile.

It is confusing for me in both ways. How am I supposed to have a code section that does not belong to any method? How is it possible to invoke it? In general, what is the purpose of this usage? Or better, where can I find documentation about this?

Answer 1

when a developer use an initializer block, the Java Compiler copies the initializer into each constructor of the current class.

Example:

the following code:

class MyClass {

    private int myField = 3;
    {
        myField = myField + 2;
        //myField is worth 5 for all instance
    }

    public MyClass() {
        myField = myField * 4;
        //myField is worth 20 for all instance initialized with this construtor
    }

    public MyClass(int _myParam) {
        if (_myParam > 0) {
            myField = myField * 4;
            //myField is worth 20 for all instance initialized with this construtor
            //if _myParam is greater than 0
        } else {
            myField = myField + 5;
            //myField is worth 10 for all instance initialized with this construtor
            //if _myParam is lower than 0 or if _myParam is worth 0
        }
    }

    public void setMyField(int _myField) {
        myField = _myField;
    }


    public int getMyField() {
        return myField;
    }
}

public class MainClass{

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        MyClass myFirstInstance_ = new MyClass();
        System.out.println(myFirstInstance_.getMyField());//20
        MyClass mySecondInstance_ = new MyClass(1);
        System.out.println(mySecondInstance_.getMyField());//20
        MyClass myThirdInstance_ = new MyClass(-1);
        System.out.println(myThirdInstance_.getMyField());//10
    }
}

is equivalent to:

class MyClass {

    private int myField = 3;

    public MyClass() {
        myField = myField + 2;
        myField = myField * 4;
        //myField is worth 20 for all instance initialized with this construtor
    }

    public MyClass(int _myParam) {
        myField = myField + 2;
        if (_myParam > 0) {
            myField = myField * 4;
            //myField is worth 20 for all instance initialized with this construtor
            //if _myParam is greater than 0
        } else {
            myField = myField + 5;
            //myField is worth 10 for all instance initialized with this construtor
            //if _myParam is lower than 0 or if _myParam is worth 0
        }
    }

    public void setMyField(int _myField) {
        myField = _myField;
    }


    public int getMyField() {
        return myField;
    }
}

public class MainClass{

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        MyClass myFirstInstance_ = new MyClass();
        System.out.println(myFirstInstance_.getMyField());//20
        MyClass mySecondInstance_ = new MyClass(1);
        System.out.println(mySecondInstance_.getMyField());//20
        MyClass myThirdInstance_ = new MyClass(-1);
        System.out.println(myThirdInstance_.getMyField());//10
    }
}

I hope my example is understood by developers.

Answer 2

Uff! what is static initializer?

The static initializer is a static {} block of code inside java class, and run only one time before the constructor or main method is called.

OK! Tell me more...

• is a block of code static { ... } inside any java class. and executed by virtual machine when class is called.
• No return statements are supported.
• No arguments are supported.
• No this or super are supported.

Hmm where can I use it?

Can be used anywhere you feel ok :) that simple. But I see most of the time it is used when doing database connection, API init, Logging and etc.

Don't just bark! where is example?

package com.example.learnjava;

import java.util.ArrayList;

public class Fruit {

    static {
        System.out.println("Inside Static Initializer.");

        // fruits array
        ArrayList<String> fruits = new ArrayList<>();
        fruits.add("Apple");
        fruits.add("Orange");
        fruits.add("Pear");

        // print fruits
        for (String fruit : fruits) {
            System.out.println(fruit);
        }
        System.out.println("End Static Initializer.\n");
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Inside Main Method.");
    }
}

Output???

Inside Static Initializer.

Apple

Orange

Pear

End Static Initializer.

Inside Main Method.

Hope this helps!