Private enums and static fields in the enclosing class

Question

I understand why an enum constructor cannot access static fields and methods within the enum itself, and why the same is allowed for in classes. Se for an example the following code,

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

public enum Foo {
    A("Some string"),
    B("Some other string"),
    ;

    static List<String> list = new ArrayList<>();

    Foo(String description) {
        list.add(description);
    }
}

This code causes a compile-time error, illegal reference to static field from initializer.

Relevant background

The enum constructor is called before the static fields have all been initialized. In the above example this means that list is not yet initialized. This is because static fields are initialized in textual order (section 12.4.2)

Next, execute either the class variable initializers and static initializers of the class, or the field initializers of the interface, in textual order, as though they were a single block.

(emphasis mine)

and since the enum values themselves always precede any other fields, including static fields, they are not available to the enum constructor, i.e. no static fields may preceed the enum values A, and B.

Question

However, and here is my question, why is it that a "private" (enclosed inside a class) enum can access static fields of its enclosing class, regardless of whether or not the enum appears before --- or --- after the static fields? In particular, where in the Java-specification is this specified?

See the below code for reference

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

public class Bar {
    static List<String> first = new ArrayList<>();

    enum Baz {
        A("Some string"),
        B("Some other string"),
        ;


        Baz(String description) {
            // Can access static fields from before the enum
            first.add(description);

            // Can access static fields from _after_ the enum
            second.add(description);
        }
    }

    static List<String> second = new ArrayList<>();
}

Interesting question. I'm not sure your assumption of constructor being called before static fields initialization is correct, though. I think it's rather the opposite. Sort of proof: stackoverflow.com/questions/36407743/… — Hugo G
– Hugo G, Commented Aug 17, 2016 at 16:39
@SotiriosDelimanolis actually the list of enum constants is more or less a list of objects created using the enum's constructor. — Hugo G
– Hugo G, Commented Aug 17, 2016 at 16:41
@SotiriosDelimanolis examples have been provided, thanks. And sorry. — Filip Allberg
– Filip Allberg, Commented Aug 17, 2016 at 16:52

Sotirios Delimanolis · Accepted Answer · 2016-08-17 17:34:36Z

This is a bit all over the place in the JLS. The When Initialization Occurs chapter states

The intent is that a class or interface type has a set of initializers that put it in a consistent state, and that this state is the first state that is observed by other classes. The static initializers and class variable initializers are executed in textual order, and may not refer to class variables declared in the class whose declarations appear textually after the use, even though these class variables are in scope (§8.3.3). This restriction is designed to detect, at compile time, most circular or otherwise malformed initializations.

That bold snippet refers to the class directly containing the access.

enum types are defined in the Java Language Specification, here

An enum declaration specifies a new enum type, a special kind of class type.

The fields you access in the Baz constructor

Baz(String description) {
    // Can access static fields from before the enum
    first.add(description);

    // Can access static fields from _after_ the enum
    second.add(description);
}

are not class variables declared in the class, the enum type Baz. The access is therefore allowed.

We can go even deeper into the detailed class initialization procedure, which explains that each class (class, interface, enum) is initialized independently. However, we can create an example that sees yet-to-be-initialized values

public class Example {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        new Bar();
    }
}

class Bar {
    static Foo foo = Foo.A;
    static Integer max = 42;

    enum Foo {
        A;

        Foo() {
            System.out.println(max);
        }
    }
}

This will print null. The access to max is allowed in the enum type's constructor although our program execution reached the access before max was initialized. The JLS warns against this

The fact that initialization code is unrestricted allows examples to be constructed where the value of a class variable can be observed when it still has its initial default value, before its initializing expression is evaluated, but such examples are rare in practice. (Such examples can be also constructed for instance variable initialization (§12.5).) The full power of the Java programming language is available in these initializers; programmers must exercise some care.

Your original Foo example introduces an extra rule, defined in the chapter on Enum Body Declarations .

It is a compile-time error to reference a static field of an enum type from constructors, instance initializers, or instance variable initializer expressions of the enum type, unless the field is a constant variable (§4.12.4).

That rule blocks your Foo snippet from compiling.

enum constants translate to public static final fields. These appear textually first in the enum type definition and are therefore initialized first. Their initialization involves the constructor. The rules exists to prevent the constructor from seeing uninitialized values of other class variables that will necessarily be initialized later.

Andreas · Accepted Answer · 2016-08-17 23:13:14Z

The position of nested classes has no meaning. You can refer to the nested class before (earlier in source text) it is declared, same as you can refer to methods before they are declared.

This is because the nested class is actually an independent class. The enclosing class and the nested class are independently initialized.

So, lets say the neither Bar nor Baz are initialized.

If some code needs Bar then Bar will be initialized. Baz will not be initialized at that time, since Bar does not refer to Baz.

If however some code needs Baz (none of them initialized yet), then Baz initialization begins. When the Baz constructor for A begins running, Bar is still not initialized. The first line then needs Bar, and Bar initialization begins. Bar initialization completes normally, in full, before the first.add(description) statement is executed. The second statement can also be executed, because Bar is fully initialized.

As you can see, there is no initialization order conflict. Bar will be fully initialized, and therefore fully available, for use by the Baz constructor.

To see the sequence of events, I added some print statements:

public class Test {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Bar.Baz x = Bar.Baz.A;
    }
}
class Bar {
    static { System.out.println("Bar initializing..."); }
    static List<String> first = new ArrayList<>();

    enum Baz {
        A("Some string"),
        B("Some other string"),
        ;
        static { System.out.println("Baz initializing..."); }


        Baz(String description) {
            System.out.println(getClass() + "." + name() + " in construction...");
            // Can access static fields from before the enum
            first.add(description);

            // Can access static fields from _after_ the enum
            second.add(description);
            System.out.println(getClass() + "." + name() + " constructed...");
        }
        static { System.out.println("Baz initialized..."); }
    }

    static List<String> second = new ArrayList<>();
    static { System.out.println("Bar initialized"); }
}

Output

class Bar$Baz.A in construction...
Bar initializing...
Bar initialized
class Bar$Baz.A constructed...
class Bar$Baz.B in construction...
class Bar$Baz.B constructed...
Baz initializing...
Baz initialized...

As you can see, Bar will starting initializing once used inside the Baz constructor, and it will be completely initialized at that time. Therefore it is fully available for Baz to use, regardless of source text position.

You can also see that Baz static initializers don't run until after the enums have been constructed, which is of course why you can't reference static members from the constructor.

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