Why can I edit the contents of a final array in Java?

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final in Java affects the variable, it has nothing to do with the object you are assigning to it.

final String[] myArray = { "hi", "there" };
myArray = anotherArray; // Error, you can't do that. myArray is final
myArray[0] = "over";  // perfectly fine, final has nothing to do with it

Edit to add from comments: Note that I said object you are assigning to it. In Java an array is an object. This same thing applies to any other object:

final List<String> myList = new ArrayList<String>():
myList = anotherList; // error, you can't do that
myList.add("Hi there!"); // perfectly fine.

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