What does the new keyword do here? [duplicate]

Question

class my_class {

    int a = 8;

    my_class() {
        System.out.println(a);
    }
}

public class NewClass {

    public static void main(String[] argue) {

        new my_class();

        new my_class();  

    }
}

I cannot understand the two statements in the main method ( new my_class(); ).

I have never seen this statement except in object definition. I know that the new keyword allocates memory for an object and assigns a reference address but what is happening in this case is totally ambiguous; allocate memory for what?

What does the new keyword do here? Whatever this is by using this statement I can explicitly call the constructor from the main method. I could not find such a statement anywhere in a textbook or the internet.

Answer 1

new my_class(); not only calls the default constructor of my_class, but it also returns a reference to the newly created object.

You are, of course, free to discard that reference.

That is what is happening here. In not retaining a reference, the created object may well be eligible for garbage collection immediately.

Answer 2

new my_class() creates a new object of type my_class. It is not assigned; so it is discarded.

But before being discarded, the object is built anyway; the constructor is run and prints its object's a attribute value. 8.