Introduction to Programming

Final variable (constant)

A final variable is a variable that, once initialized, cannot be assigned to another value. It is denoted by the final keyword:

void someMethod(){  final int x = 1;  x = 2; //generates compilation error  //some other code}

Nevertheless, the following code will work just fine:

void someMethod(){  final int x;  //Any code that does not use variable x can be added here  x = 2;  //some other code }

The preceding code does not generate a compilation error because the local variable is not initialized to a default value automatically in a declaration statement. Only the class, instance variable, or array component is initialized to a default value if the variable is not initialized explicitly (see the Primitive types and literals ...