Mastering Java: The Ultimate Quiz for 'Thinking in Java'

How are static fields or methods in Java classes loaded?

1. At compile time

2. At runtime, at the point of first use

3. During class declaration

4. After main method execution

The correct answer is: At runtime, at the point of first use

Static fields and methods in Java classes are loaded at runtime, specifically at the point of first use. This means that they are not loaded during compilation or class declaration, and not after the execution of the main method. Static fields and methods are loaded into memory when the class is first referenced or used in the code. This allows for efficient memory usage, as these elements are only loaded when they are actually needed in the program.