Understanding the 'Static' Keyword in Java

In Java, the static keyword is principaly used for memory management. It can be applied to variables, methods, blocks and nested classes. When we declare a variable or method as static, it belongs to the class rather than an instance of the class.

The static keyword identifies class level variables that are shared between all objects of a class. When a variable is declared as static, then a single copy of the variable is created and shared among all objects of the class.

However, the primary usage related to the static keyword, which is also the correct answer to our quiz, is that a static method can be called without creating an instance of the class. This is particularly useful for methods that do not need to access instance variables. Let's take a quick look at an example:

public class Test {
    public static int multiply(int a, int b){
        return a*b;
    }
}

In this example, you don't need to create an instance of the Test class to call the multiply method:

int result = Test.multiply(5, 20);

Here, multiply can be directly accessed with the class name because it is a static method.

Just remember, though static keyword provides us the advantage of not needing an instance to call a method or access a variable, it can limit the flexibility of your code. Because static methods cannot be overridden, it means that these methods cannot take advantage of polymorphism. So, be aware and consider your specific needs when utilizing the static keyword.

Understanding the 'Static' Keyword in Java

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