Using the "final" modifier whenever applicable in Java

Obsess over:

• Final fields - Marking fields as final forces them to be set by end of construction, making that field reference immutable. This allows safe publication of fields and can avoid the need for synchronization on later reads. (Note that for an object reference, only the field reference is immutable - things that object reference refers to can still change and that affects the immutability.)
• Final static fields - Although I use enums now for many of the cases where I used to use static final fields.

Consider but use judiciously:

• Final classes - Framework/API design is the only case where I consider it.
• Final methods - Basically same as final classes. If you're using template method patterns like crazy and marking stuff final, you're probably relying too much on inheritance and not enough on delegation.

Ignore unless feeling anal:

• Method parameters and local variables - I RARELY do this largely because I'm lazy and I find it clutters the code. I will fully admit that marking parameters and local variables that I'm not going to modify is "righter". I wish it was the default. But it isn't and I find the code more difficult to understand with finals all over. If I'm in someone else's code, I'm not going to pull them out but if I'm writing new code I won't put them in. One exception is the case where you have to mark something final so you can access it from within an anonymous inner class.

The final modifier, especially for variables, is a means to have the compiler enforce a convention that is generally sensible: make sure a (local or instance) variable is assigned exactly once (no more no less). By making sure a variable is definitely assigned before it is used, you can avoid common cases of a NullPointerException:

final FileInputStream in;
if(test)
  in = new FileInputStream("foo.txt");
else
  System.out.println("test failed");
in.read(); // Compiler error because variable 'in' might be unassigned

By preventing a variable from being assigned more than once, you discourage overbroad scoping. Instead of this:

 String msg = null;
 for(int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
     msg = "We are at position " + i;
     System.out.println(msg);
 }
 msg = null;

You are encouraged to use this:

 for(int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
     final String msg = "We are at position " + i;
     System.out.println(msg);
 }

Some links:

• The final story (free chapter of the book "Hardcore Java")
• Some final patterns
• Definite assignment

You really need to understand the full use of the final keyword before using it. It can apply to and has differing affects on variables, fields, methods and classes

I’d recommend checking out the article linked to below for more details.

Final Word On the final Keyword

I think it all has to do with good coding style. Of course you can write good, robust programs without using a lot of final modifiers anywhere, but when you think about it...

Adding final to all things which should not change simply narrows down the possibilities that you (or the next programmer, working on your code) will misinterpret or misuse the thought process which resulted in your code. At least it should ring some bells when they now want to change your previously immutable thing.

At first, it kind of looks awkward to see a lot of final keywords in your code, but pretty soon you'll stop noticing the word itself and will simply think, that-thing-will-never-change-from-this-point-on (you can take it from me ;-)

I think it's good practice. I am not using it all the time, but when I can and it makes sense to label something final I'll do it.