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final (Java)
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<p>In the <a href="/facts/Java_/9ScgFyAL">Java programming language</a>, the final <a href="/facts/Keyword_(computing)/pHDlUUgY">keyword</a> is used in several contexts to define an entity that can only be assigned once. </p><p>Once a final variable has been assigned, it always contains the same value. If a final variable holds a reference to an object, then the state of the object may be changed by operations on the object, but the variable will always refer to the same object (this property of final is called <i>non-transitivity</i>). This applies also to arrays, because arrays are objects; if a final variable holds a reference to an array, then the components of the array may be changed by operations on the array, but the variable will always refer to the same array. </p>