Static variables in C++ and Java

Question

I have a question: let\'s say we have this function: (in C++)

int& f() {
    static int x = 0;
    return x;
} // OK

and

i         


        

Answer 1

In C++, static is one of the most overloaded keywords of the language. The meaning you're using here is this:

A variable which is defined inside a function with the static specifier has static storage duration - it occupies the same space for the entire runtime of the program, and keeps its value between different calls to the function. So you can safely return a reference to it, as the variable is always there to back the reference.

A normal (non-static) function-local variable is destroyed when the function call returns, and so the reference becomes dangling - it doesn't refer to anything valid. Using it results in Undefined Behaviour.

Java simply doesn't have function-scope static variables (it doesn't have that meaning of the keyword static). That's why you can't declare it there.

Both C++ and Java have the "class-scope" meaning of the static keyword. When a member of a class is declared with the static keyword, it means the member is not bound to any instance of the class, but is just a global variable whose identifier lives in the class's scope.