Is there any other type of static variable in Java than a static class variable?

Question

In Java, can a static variable be anything other than a static class variable? It seems the qualifier class is not strictly necessary when referring to static variables, other than to be super clear.

Answer 1

From the Java Language Specification, on fields

A static field, sometimes called a class variable, is incarnated when the class is initialized (§12.4).

They're one and the same.

Answer 2

There's one kind of field that can be static and isn't associated with a class: interface constants, which are both static and final (and therefore not exactly a "variable", since they don't vary).

You can use them even without initializing an implementation of the interface, so they're not necessarily associated with a class at all. I believe they're initialized when the interface is used.

Answer 3

Static variables are class variables, in that they all live within the context of a class, but you need to be careful in that you can have a static int, or a static string, etc, as well as a static class variable.

Answer 4

Static fields are always associated with a class, but you don't need to write the class name if you are referencing the field from the same class.