String is immutable. What exactly is the meaning? [duplicate]

Answer 1

Probably every answer provided above is right, but my answer is specific to use of hashCode() method, to prove the points like, String... once created can't be modified and modifications will results in new value at different memory location.

public class ImmutabilityTest {

    private String changingRef = "TEST_STRING";

    public static void main(String a[]) {

        ImmutabilityTest dn = new ImmutabilityTest();

        System.out.println("ChangingRef for TEST_STRING OLD : "
                + dn.changingRef.hashCode());

        dn.changingRef = "NEW_TEST_STRING";
        System.out.println("ChangingRef for NEW_TEST_STRING : "
                + dn.changingRef.hashCode());

        dn.changingRef = "TEST_STRING";
        System.out.println("ChangingRef for TEST_STRING BACK : "
                + dn.changingRef.hashCode());

        dn.changingRef = "NEW_TEST_STRING";
        System.out.println("ChangingRef for NEW_TEST_STRING BACK : "
                + dn.changingRef.hashCode());

        String str = new String("STRING1");
        System.out.println("String Class STRING1 : " + str.hashCode());

        str = new String("STRING2");
        System.out.println("String Class STRING2 : " + str.hashCode());

        str = new String("STRING1");
        System.out.println("String Class STRING1 BACK : " + str.hashCode());

        str = new String("STRING2");
        System.out.println("String Class STRING2 BACK : " + str.hashCode());

    }
}

OUTPUT

ChangingRef for TEST_STRING OLD : 247540830
ChangingRef for NEW_TEST_STRING : 970356767
ChangingRef for TEST_STRING BACK : 247540830
ChangingRef for NEW_TEST_STRING BACK : 970356767
String Class STRING1 : -1163776448
String Class STRING2 : -1163776447
String Class STRING1 BACK : -1163776448
String Class STRING2 BACK : -1163776447