Question

Unsure about static variables.

import java.io.File;

public class Logger {
    public static final File log = new File(File.listRoots()[0], "log.log");
    public static void log (String message) {
        /* ... */
    }
}

Is the variable log pointing to the same memory throughout the life of the program? Basically is the log definition new File(File.listRoots()[0], "log.log") calculated multiple times or just one, and when?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

It is invoked once per classloader. Which, normally, means once.

A static variable is initialized as soon as the class declaring it is loaded by the classloader, and stays there until the classloader is destroyed, which in most cases means – at the end of the program execution / application lifecycle.