Answer
Loading reads the bytecode and creates a Class object on the heap; linking then verifies the bytecode, prepares static fields to their default values, and resolves symbolic references to direct pointers; initialization finally runs static initializers and static field assignments in source order. The separation lets the JVM defer expensive work and run initialization lazily and exactly once, on first active use, under a class-level lock. A practical consequence is that a class can be loaded and linked long before it is initialized, which is why static side effects don't fire until you actually touch the class.
Common mistakes
- Saying class loading and initialization happen at the same time.
- Not knowing static initializers run during initialization, on first active use.