What is an initialization block?

Question

We can put code in a constructor or a method or an initialization block. What is the use of initialization block? Is it necessary that every java program must have it?

Answer 1

nice answer by aioobe adding few more points

public class StaticTest extends parent {
    static {
        System.out.println("inside satic block");
    }

    StaticTest() {
        System.out.println("inside constructor of child");
    }

    {
        System.out.println("inside initialization block");
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        new StaticTest();
        new StaticTest();
        System.out.println("inside main");
    }
}

class parent {
    static {
        System.out.println("inside parent Static block");
    }
    {
        System.out.println("inside parent initialisation block");
    }

    parent() {
        System.out.println("inside parent constructor");
    }
}

this gives

inside parent Static block
inside satic block
inside parent initialisation block
inside parent constructor
inside initialization block
inside constructor of child
inside parent initialisation block
inside parent constructor
inside initialization block
inside constructor of child
inside main

its like stating the obvious but seems a little more clear.