Final (Java): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:03, 31 May 2008

Revision as of 20:54, 9 July 2008

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= Final variables =

A '''final [[variable]]''' is [[Immutable object|immutable]], i. e. it can only be assigned to once. If the variable is a field of a class, it must be assigned to in the constructor of its class. (Note: If the variable is a reference, this means that the variable cannot be re-bound to reference another object. But the object that it references is still mutable, if it was originally mutable.)

Unlike the value of a [[constant (computer science)|constant]], the value of a final variable is not necessarily known at compile time.