final is a keyword in Java. It can be used with variable, method or class. In this article we will see how we can make variable, method or class final in java and what are the advantages of doing so.

public static final boolean REQUIRED = true;
REQUIRED = true; //invalid compilation error

Once we assign value to final variable we can not change its value. If we make a collection final its reference can not be changed but we can add, remove  or change the object inside the collection as shown in below example.

final List<String> nameList = new ArrayList();
//valid
nameList.add("Code Pumpkin");  
//valid
nameList.add("Code Cheif"); 
//Invalid as we can not change the collection reference
nameList = new LinkedList<>(); 

Final Method

class Bike {
	final void start() {
		System.out.println("kick start");
	}
}

class Honda extends Bike {
	void start() {
		System.out.println("self start");
	}

	public static void main(String args[]) {
		Honda honda = new Honda();
		honda.start();
	}
}

Here, we have declared start method in bike as final. so while extending the Honda class with bike we can not override the start() method. So, our program will give compilation error.

Final Class

Now lets modify above example and make the Bike class final.

final class Bike {
	void start() {
		System.out.println("kick start");
	}
}

//Can not extend final class. Code will not compile
class Honda extends Bike {
	void start() {
		System.out.println("self start");
	}

	public static void main(String args[]) {
		Honda honda = new Honda();
		honda.start();
	}
}

In above example, when we try to extend bike class the compiler will give error that we can not extend final class.

We can say that we can prevent subclassing by making our class final. However, there is also an alternate way to prevent subclassing using private constructor.

Benefits of final keyword

• Final keyword improves performance as JVM cache the final variables. Making a class, method or variable final in Java helps to improve performance because JVM gets an opportunity to make assumption and optimization.
• Immutable Class can be created with the help of final keyword.
• Final variables are safe to share in multi-threading environment without additional synchronization overhead.
• Final keyword allows JVM to optimized method, variable or class

Important points about final keyword

• Final keyword can be applied to member variable, local variable, method or class in Java.
• Final member variable must be initialized at the time of declaration or inside constructor, failure to do so will result in compilation error.
• You can not reassign value to final variable in Java.
• Final class can not be inheritable in Java.
• Local final variable must be initializing during declaration.
• Only final variable is accessible inside anonymous class in Java.
• Final method can not be overridden in Java.
• All variable declared inside java interface are implicitly final.
• Making a java collection reference variable final means only reference can not be changed but we can add, remove or change object inside collection.