static block

[kedar parundekar]

In actual project where we can use static block?

[Sidd Kulk]

Static initializers can be used to instantiate variables. As you would know, the static block is called when the class is loaded, which occurs before object creation.

[Cameron Wallace McKenzie]

The static block addresses the issue of "when should we initialize a static variable?" Doing it in a constructor is a waste, but where else would you do it, assuming you want a static variable to have a default?

Well, you can do it in a static block.

-Cameron McKenzie

[kedar parundekar]

1> class Demo1{
static int i=10;// initialize variable i
--------
-------

}
............................................................

2>class Demo2{
static int i;
static {i=10;}// initialize variable i in static initializer block


}

Q. is there any difference between class Demo1 & class Demo2?

[Stan James]

Not enough difference to worry about. That initialization is not complex enough to warrant a static block.

Do you see any alternatives to this static block?

private static Map states = new HashMap();
static
{
   states.put("NE", "Nebraska");
   states.put("PA", "Pennsylvania");
}

There's no HashMap({{"NE", "Nebraska"}, {"PA", ...}}) syntax to do that with the declaration of the map. Some people wish Java had that syntax.