Static block in Java not executed

If you see generated bytecode using javap -v Test.class, main() comes out like:

public static void main(java.lang.String[]) throws java.lang.Exception;
    flags: ACC_PUBLIC, ACC_STATIC
    Code:
      stack=2, locals=1, args_size=1
         0: getstatic     #2                  // Field java/lang/System.out:Ljava/io/PrintStream;
         3: ldc           #3                  // String **MAIN METHOD
         5: invokevirtual #4                  // Method java/io/PrintStream.println:(Ljava/lang/String;)V
         8: getstatic     #2                  // Field java/lang/System.out:Ljava/io/PrintStream;
        11: sipush        9090
        14: invokevirtual #5                  // Method java/io/PrintStream.println:(I)V
        17: getstatic     #2                  // Field java/lang/System.out:Ljava/io/PrintStream;
        20: sipush        9190
        23: invokevirtual #5                  // Method java/io/PrintStream.println:(I)V
        26: return        

You can clearly see in "11: sipush 9090" that static final value is directly used, because Mno.VAL is a compile time constant. Therefore it is not required to load Mno class. Hence static block of Mno is not executed.

You can execute the static block by manually loading Mno as below:

class Test{
    public static void main(String arg[]) throws Exception {
        System.out.println("**MAIN METHOD");
        Class.forName("Mno");                 // Load Mno
        System.out.println(Mno.VAL);
        System.out.println(Mno.VAL+100);
    }

}

class Mno{
    final static int VAL=9090;
    static{
        System.out.println("**STATIC BLOCK OF Mno\t:"+VAL);
    }
}

The reason why the class is not loaded is that VAL is final AND it is initialised with a constant expression (9090). If, and only if, those two conditions are met, the constant is evaluated at compile time and "hardcoded" where needed.

To prevent the expression from being evaluated at compile time (and to make the JVM load your class), you can either:

• remove the final keyword:

  static int VAL = 9090; //not a constant variable any more
  

• or change the right hand side expression to something non constant (even if the variable is still final):

  final static int VAL = getInt(); //not a constant expression any more
  static int getInt() { return 9090; }
  

1. A static final int field is a compile-time constant and its value is hardcoded into the destination class without a reference to its origin;
2. therefore your main class does not trigger the loading of the class containing the field;
3. therefore the static initializer in that class is not executed.

In specific detail, the compiled bytecode corresponds to this:

public static void main(String arg[]){    
    System.out.println("**MAIN METHOD");
    System.out.println(9090)
    System.out.println(9190)
}

As soon as you remove final, it is no longer a compile-time constant and the special behavior described above does not apply. The Mno class is loaded as you expect and its static initializer executes.