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Tuyen Nguyen

Understanding the Difference Between Mutable and Immutable in Java: Why It Matters

Updated: Mar 17, 2024

In Java programming, you often encounter two important concepts: Mutable and Immutable. These are two common types of objects in Java, and understanding the difference between them is crucial for writing efficient code and avoiding common errors. This article will delve into Mutable and Immutable, along with illustrative examples in Java.


1. Mutable and Immutable

1.1 Mutable:

Mutable refers to objects that can change their state after being created. This means that the data inside the object can be altered after the object has been instantiated.


1.2 Immutable:

Immutable refers to objects whose state cannot be changed after creation. Any modification creates a new object instead of changing the original one.


2. Why It Matters?

  1. Thread Safety: Immutable objects are thread-safe since they cannot be altered, helping to avoid synchronization-related issues in multithreaded environments.

  2. Context Safety: When passing immutable objects across contexts, you don't need to worry about them changing state and causing unexpected issues.

  3. Ease of Control: Immutability makes objects easier to control during development and maintenance.

3. Illustrative Examples


Now let's look at an illustrative example of Mutable and Immutable in Java:


3.1 Mutable


An example of Mutable
An example of Mutable

In the above example, mutableField can be changed after creating the MutableExample object.


3.2 Immutable

An example of Immutable
An example of Immutable

In this example, immutableField cannot be changed after the ImmutableExample object is created.


4. Conclusion

Understanding and effectively utilizing Mutable and Immutable is an integral part of efficient Java programming. Using them correctly enhances the security, performance, and maintainability of source code.

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