Initializing multiple variables to the same value in Java

Question

String one, two, three;
one = two = three = "";

This should work with immutable objects. It doesn't make any sense for mutable objects for example:

Person firstPerson, secondPerson, thirdPerson;
firstPerson = secondPerson = thirdPerson = new Person();

All the variables would be pointing to the same instance. Probably what you would need in that case is:

Person firstPerson = new Person();
Person secondPerson = new Person();
Person thirdPerson = new Person();

Or better yet use an array or a Collection.

You can declare multiple variables, and initialize multiple variables, but not both at the same time:

 String one,two,three;
 one = two = three = "";

However, this kind of thing (especially the multiple assignments) would be frowned upon by most Java developers, who would consider it the opposite of "visually simple".

No, it's not possible in java.

You can do this way .. But try to avoid it.

String one, two, three;
one = two = three = "";

Works for primitives and immutable classes like String, Wrapper classes Character, Byte.

int i=0,j=2   
String s1,s2  
s1 = s2 = "java rocks"

For mutable classes

Reference r1 = Reference r2 = Reference r3 = new Object();`  

Three references + one object are created. All references point to the same object and your program will misbehave.

You can do this:

String one, two, three = two = one = "";

But these will all point to the same instance. It won't cause problems with final variables or primitive types. This way, you can do everything in one line.

I do not think that is possible you have to set all the values individualling (like the first example you provided.)

The Second example you gave, will only Initialize the last varuable to "" and not the others.

Edit: As Zeeen pointed out this will not work in Java. The question I'd intended to answer was in Groovy as well, this was submitted in error.

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Way too late to this but the simplest way I've found is:

String foo = bar = baz = "hello"
println(foo)
println(bar)
println(baz)

Output:

hello
hello
hello