The 'static' Keyword

The `static` keyword in Java is used to create variables and methods that belong to the class itself, rather than to any specific instance (object) of the class. This means there is only one copy of a static member, regardless of how many objects of that class are created. A static field, often called a class variable, is shared among all instances of the class. For example, if you had a `Car` class and wanted to keep track of how many `Car` objects have been created, you could use a `static int carCount;`. Every time a new `Car` is constructed, you would increment this counter, and its value would be the same no matter which `Car` object you accessed it from. Static methods, or class methods, also belong to the class and not to an object. As such, they can be called directly on the class name without needing to create an instance, for example, `Math.random()`. The `main` method is a prime example; the JVM needs to call it to start the program before any objects exist. A key rule for static methods is that they cannot directly access instance variables or instance methods of the class. This is because instance members are associated with a specific object (`this`), and a static context does not have a `this` reference. However, static methods can access other static members of the class. The `static` keyword is essential for defining utility methods, constants, and shared state within a class.