The difference between final, finally, and finalize in Java

In Java, the words final, finally, and finalize are quite different from each other.

final

final is a keyword that is used to apply restrictions on a class, method, or variable.

  • The class with this keyword cannot be inherited.
  • The method with this keyword cannot be overridden.
  • The variable with this keyword cannot be changed.

Code

When we try to modify the value of the final variable val in the code below, ​it throws an error.

class HelloWorld {

    public static void main( String args[] ) {

        final int val=150;  

        val=100;

    }

}

finally

In Java, finally is a block used to place important code that will be executed whether or not an exception is handled.

Code

class HelloWorld {

    public static void main( String args[] ) {

      try{  

      int val=150;  

      }catch(Exception e){System.out.println(e);}  

      finally{System.out.println("finally block!");}

    }

}

finalize

finalize() is used to perform clean-up processing just before the object is collected by the garbage collector. In Java, the finalize method in a class is used for freeing up the heap’s memory, just like destructors in C++.

Note: finalize is deprecated in Java 9.

Code

class HelloWorld {

    public static class test

    {

        int val = 50;

        @Override

        protected void finalize() throws Throwable

        {

            System.out.println("Finalize Method");

        }

    }

   public static void main(String[] args)

   {

      test a1 = new test();

      test a2 = new test();



      a1 = a2;



      // calling finalize method

      System.gc(); 

   }



}
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