Awkward query on String

Hello Ranchers!

i understand it's incorrect, how it happens is what i wish to understand.
experts..please explain how is this handled in java
String b ="a"
creates reference b to string a. how is "a" allocated and assigned to String (a class?)

MyOwnClass c = "a";
..is truly incorrect (or could this be done?), i understand "a" is string and hence couldn't be allocated to MyOwnClass reference type..but how is this decided by compiler?..where could i get compiler directives of java?

this obviously results from my own brains, i am just curious, even when wrong

please guide..

thanks!

You appear to have posted in the wrong place; I shall move you to somewhere more appropriate.

MyOwnClass c = "a";
wont work. "a" is a String literal - Anything within a double quotes is a String literal. A String literal can be assigned only to references of the String class, or else the compiler would throw an error.

A google on 'String literal pool' or 'String constant pool' might help you in understanding String memory allocations.
JavaRanch itself has an excellent article regarding this - http://www.javaranch.com/journal/200409/ScjpTipLine-StringsLiterally.html

Every reference variable has a Class<T> object associated with it. The compiler can verify that all your reference variables are the correct type by querying the details in the classes; those allow it to check the inheritance of your objects and whether it matches the inheritance of the type of variable you are using.