only static keyword in method or block java

Question

Trying to understand what it is in java. method? Thank you

 static {
    String xxx;
    try {
        xxx = new File(".").getCanonicalPath();
    } catch (final IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
       xxx = ".";
    }

Answer 1

In this situation, static indicates that the block should be executed once only, prior to the first instance of the class being constructed.

Your example is not particularly useful in itself, as the String xxx will go out of scope at the end of the static block. I assume that there is other code that you have not shown that does something with this variable.

Answer 2

This is basically a static block, it executes only once when the class is loaded. It is not a method. You can read more about it here