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Stranger Things in Java: Constants

What you are reading is the fourth in a series of articles titled "Stranger things in Java", inspired by the contents of my book "Java for Aliens". These articles are dedicated to insights of the Java language. Deepening the topics we use every day will allow us to master the Java coding even in the strangest scenario.

Introduction

In this article, we will explore some scenarios involving the use of constants where even experienced programmers may have doubts. Although the topic may be well known, not everyone has explored particular scenarios such as solving multiple inheritance in presence of homonymous constants. Strengthening one's theoretical basis is essential to be able to program with confidence.

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How to Define Constants in Java

There seems to be a lot of confusion around the topic of constants in Java. Some people make use of integers or Strings to define constants, while others make use of enums.

I’ve also come across constants defined in their own interface – where classes that make use of the constants have to implement the interface. This strategy is often referred to as the interface constant design pattern.