How Does Java's String Object Reconcile Its Primitive-Like Behavior with Its Object-Oriented Nature?

Java String: A Unique Entity in Object-Oriented Programming

Despite being a class, the Java String object can be initialized using double quotes. This seeming paradox can be explained by examining the special nature of Java strings.

Java's Design Considerations

Java's creators recognized the efficiency benefits of retaining primitive types in an object-oriented environment. Primitives, stored in the call stack, offer compact storage and ease of manipulation compared to objects, which reside in the program heap and require complex memory management.

String: A Hybrid Entity

For optimal performance, Java's String object was designed as a hybrid between a primitive and a class. While it shares certain characteristics with primitives, such as efficient storage and manipulation, it also exhibits object-like properties.

String Literals and Objects

Consider the examples:

String s1 = "Hello";     // String literal
String s2 = "Hello";     // String literal
String s3 = s1;         // Same reference
String s4 = new String("Hello");   // String object
String s5 = new String("Hello");   // String object

String literals ("Hello" in this case) are stored in a common pool, enabling storage sharing for identical strings. In contrast, String objects created via the "new" operator are stored in the heap and do not benefit from storage sharing.

Note: String literals are stored in the string constant pool, which is a location in memory where constants are stored. This ensures that if two or more variables refer to the same string value, they actually refer to the same object in memory, rather than creating multiple copies.

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