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Static variables are global data pieces that have only one value for all class objects. They can be restrictive because any change affects all objects, but also flexible as they ensure consistency. Good programming practice suggests minimizing their use. Small static data values are preferred over large ones.
Static variables, also called global variables, are pieces of data that are unaffiliated with a particular instance of a class. There can be only one value for these variables regardless of the number of class objects created. Depending on the context, static variables can be more flexible or more restrictive than their instance variable counterparts, which have their own discrete values for each specific object of a class type. In object-oriented programming languages, good programming practice usually dictates that the use of static objects, methods, or variables be kept to a minimum, but they have useful applications.
One of the main reasons why static variables are sometimes considered restrictive is because there can’t be more than one value for a variable. Any assignment to the variable overwrites the previous one and any information in the previous value is lost. Without multiple copies of the variable, multiple data values cannot be stored. If the value is changed, every object it affects has to work with the new value, and if the old value was not meant to be discarded, the change could prove detrimental to every instance object of a particular class type. Unless the variable is locked in some way upon creation, the risk of unforeseen changes and the resulting havoc it could cause to objects makes some programmers avoid static variables whenever possible.
Static variables can sometimes be considered flexible for the same reason they can be called restrictive. Even if a variable’s value is not locked, scheduled changes to its value can have positive effects. A variable shared between all objects of a class is guaranteed to be consistent and can be used both inside and outside the class with the certainty that its value is always the same. Static variables have a variety of useful applications, particularly in maintaining constants and implementing serialization. Java in particular relies heavily on this static serialization mechanism.
There are some general rules that programmers often use when implementing static variables. These variables usually work best as small data values because large static objects can make a program much more rigid than it should be. Small data values can be changed quickly and easily without too much fear of introducing errors. Large static objects take more time and effort to modify and are also more prone to introducing an error that would break all class objects. These are guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules, and there may be uses for small and large variables, depending on your program.
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