Counting String objects created by Java code -

how many string objects created following code?

string x = new string("xyz"); string y = "abc"; x = x + y; 

i have visited many websites line of code creates 3 objects , creates 4. wanted know how many objects created after line of code executed.

by end of run there 4 string objects:

1. a string corresponds interned "xyz" literal
2. its copy created new string("xyz")
3. a string corresponds interned "abc" literal
4. a string corresponds concatenation "xyz" + "abc"

the real question attributing or of these objects program. 1 can reasonably claim few 2 or many 4 strings created code. though there 4 string objects in total, objects 1 , 3 may not created code, because in constant pool, created outside code's direct control.