What does the static keyword mean in Java?

Static members belong to the class rather than instances. Static variables are shared across all instances (class-level storage). Static methods can be called without creating an object and cannot access non-static members. Static blocks execute once when class is loaded for initialization. Common uses: utility methods (Math.sqrt()), constants (static final), factory methods, counters shared across instances. Static members are stored in method area, not heap. Access via ClassName.member, not instance reference.