Initialization

By default, static fields will be given the same default initial value as other fields.

So a static int field will be initialized to zero, a static String field will be initialized to null, etc.

class Main {
    static int count;
    static String name;

    void main() {
        System.out.println(count); // 0
        System.out.println(name); // null
    }
}

If you want to initialize them to a different value you do not do that in a constructor like you would a normal field.

You can give them a value directly with =.

class Main {
    static int count = 5;
    static String name = "bob";

    void main() {
        System.out.println(count); // 5
        System.out.println(name); // bob
    }
}

Or you can initialize them in a "static block". This looks like the word static followed by some braces {} with code in the middle.¹

class Main {
    static int count;
    static String name;

    static {
        count = 5;
        name = "bob";
    }

    void main() {
        System.out.println(count); // 5
        System.out.println(name); // bob
    }
}