Question

what is the point of having an instance variable as final?

isn´t it better to have that variable set as a static final variable then?

cause if it can’t be changed by any of the objects, then it’s the same as a class (static) variable, right?

Answer 1

Nope. static means it’s the same across all instances of the class. final means it’s not assignable after its initial assignment. So two instances could have different values for a non-static final variable.

There are many reasons you might want to make a variable final; one of the best is clarity. If I read a method and notice that the foo is final, I don’t have to worry about where it’s changing down below – because it isn’t; it can’t. I can make more changes to code with final variables with less concern (“did I change the value of foo before or after bar, and does it matter?”) because I know that some variables aren’t subject to change. It also focuses my attention on the variables that are subject to change – and they’re the ones that deserve more attention.