What does overriding a final method in a subclass result in?

• A. It is allowed without restrictions
• B. It leads to compile-time error
• C. It invokes the superclass method instead
• D. It causes a runtime error

Answer: (B)

When a method is declared as final in a superclass, it means that this method cannot be modified or overridden by any subclass. Therefore, attempting to override a final method in a subclass will indeed result in a compilation error. This is a design choice in Java to prevent the modification of critical methods that could alter the intended behavior of the class hierarchy. The compiler enforces this restriction to maintain the integrity of the method, ensuring that it behaves consistently across all instances of the superclass and its subclasses. This characteristic of final methods emphasizes the importance of predictable and reliable class behavior in object-oriented programming.