// initialising a HashMap private static final Map<String,String> myMap = new HashMap<String,String> ( 149 /* capacity */, 0.75f /* loadfactor */ ); static { myMap.add( "apple", "green" ); myMap.add( "plum", "purple" ); } // The technique works similarly for local HashMaps private void doSomething() { final Map<String,String> myMap = new HashMap<String,String> ( 149 /* capacity */, 0.75f /* loadfactor */ ); { myMap.add( "apple", "green" ); myMap.add( "plum", "purple" ); } ... }