Java Final vs Finally vs Finalize

The final, finally, and finalize in Java are three different concepts and keywords that serve distinct purposes:

1. final:

• final is a keyword used to declare that a variable, method, or class cannot be further modified or extended.
• When applied to a variable, it indicates that the variable’s value cannot be changed after it is initialized.
• When applied to a method, it indicates that the method cannot be overridden by subclasses.
• When applied to a class, it indicates that the class cannot be subclassed.
• Example: final int constantValue = 10; public final void someMethod() { // Method implementation } final class FinalClass { // Class members }

1. finally:

• finally is a block that follows a try or try–catch block and contains code that is executed regardless of whether an exception is thrown or caught.
• It’s used for resource cleanup or ensuring that certain code is executed before a method exits, regardless of whether an exception occurred.
• finally is typically used in conjunction with try and optionally catch blocks.
• Example: try { // Code that may throw an exception } catch (Exception e) { // Exception handling } finally { // Code that will be executed no matter what }

1. finalize:

• finalize is a method defined in the Object class that’s called by the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) when an object is being garbage collected.
• You can override the finalize method in your own classes to provide custom cleanup code that runs when an object is about to be reclaimed by the garbage collector.
• However, it’s recommended to use other mechanisms (like try-with-resources or explicit resource management) for resource cleanup, as the finalize method is not guaranteed to be called promptly or at all.
• Example: public class MyResource { // Other members and methods @Override protected void finalize() throws Throwable { try { // Cleanup code } finally { super.finalize(); } } }

In summary:

• final is used to make a variable, method, or class unmodifiable.
• finally is used in exception handling to ensure that specific code is executed regardless of whether an exception occurs.
• finalize is a method that you can override to provide custom cleanup code when an object is being garbage collected, but its usage is limited due to uncertainty about when it will be called.