Java Object Oriented Design - Java final Keyword

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The final keyword does not allow modifying or replacing its original value or definition.

The final keyword can be used in the following three contexts:

• A variable declaration
• A class declaration
• A method declaration

final variable

If a variable is declared final, it can be assigned a value only once. The value of a final variable cannot be modified once it has been set.

A variable declaration includes the declaration of a local variable, a formal parameter of a method/constructor, an instance variable, and a class variable.

To declare a variable as final, use the final keyword in the variable's declaration.

final int YES  = 1;

We can set the value of a final variable only once.

There are two ways to initialize a final variable:

• initialize it at the time of its declaration.
• defer its initialization until a later time.

However, we must initialize the final variable before it is read for the first time.

• final Local Variables

  You can declare a local variable final. If you declare a local variable as a blank final variable, you must initialize it before using.

• final Parameters

  We can declare a parameter final. A parameter is initialized automatically with the value of the actual parameter when the method or the constructor is invoked.

  Therefore, you cannot change the value of a final formal parameter inside the method's or the constructor's body.

• final Instance Variables

  We can declare an instance variable final and blank final.

  A blank final instance variable must be initialized once and only once when any of the constructors of the class is invoked.

• final Class Variables

  We can declare a class variable final and blank final. We must initialize a blank final class variable in one of the static initializers.

• final Reference Variables

  A reference variable stores the reference of an object. A final reference variable means that once it references an object (or null), it cannot be modified to reference another object.

The following code shows the final formal parameter x for the test2() method:

public void  test2(final int x)  {

If we have more than one static initializer for a class, we must initialize all the blank final class variables only once in one of the static initializers.

public class Main {
  public static final int YES = 1;
  public static final int NO = 2;
  public static final String MSG;

  static {
    MSG = "final static variable";
  }
}

final class

If a class is declared final, it cannot be extended (or subclassed).

final method

If a method is declared final, it cannot be redefined (overridden or hidden) in the subclasses of the class that contains the method.

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