Classes and objects in Java must be initialized before they are used. You previously learned that class fields are initialized to default values when classes are loaded and that objects are initialized via constructors, but there is more to initialization. This article introduces all of Java’s features for initializing classes and objects.
Demonstration code for this tutorial: “Java 101: Class and object initialization in Java.” Created by Jeff Friesen for JavaWorld.
Initializing classes
Before we explore Java’s support for class initialization, let’s recap the basics of Java initialization. Consider Listing 1.
