University of Central Florida (UCF) COP3330 Object Oriented Programming Final Practice Exam

The 'final' keyword in programming, particularly in languages like Java, is used to indicate that a variable can only be assigned once. When you declare a variable as 'final', it means that after its initial assignment, the variable's value cannot be changed; it is a constant. This feature is particularly useful for ensuring that certain values remain unchanged throughout the program, which can help prevent bugs and maintain data integrity.

Using 'final' makes the intention clear that the variable is meant to have a constant value, allowing for better readability and maintainability of the code. It also plays a crucial role in multi-threaded environments by ensuring that once a value is set, it will not be altered by other threads, thus avoiding concurrency issues.

In contrast, the other choices do not correctly reflect the functionality of the 'final' keyword regarding variable assignments. The concept of a variable being changeable or unable to have a value contradicts the very essence of what 'final' signifies. Overall, declaring a variable as 'final' reinforces its status as a fixed value within the scope it is defined.