In Java, static and dynamic binding refer to two different approaches to determining which method to call at runtime, based on the type of the object being referred to.

Static binding, also known as compile-time polymorphism, occurs when the type of the object is determined at compile-time, and the method to be called is bound to the object at that time. This occurs with methods that are declared as private, final, or static, or with overloaded methods. The compiler can determine the correct method to call based on the type of the object being referred to, so no additional information is needed at runtime.

Dynamic binding, on the other hand, occurs when the type of the object is determined at runtime, and the method to be called is bound to the object at that time. This occurs with methods that are declared as virtual or abstract, or with overloaded methods. The Java Virtual Machine (JVM) uses runtime type information to determine which method to call based on the actual type of the object being referred to.

One of the key differences between static and dynamic binding is the degree of flexibility they offer. With static binding, the method to be called is determined at compile-time and cannot be changed at runtime. This can result in a loss of flexibility, as the method being called is determined based on the type of the object as defined at compile-time, regardless of the actual type of the object.

On the other hand, dynamic binding allows for a greater degree of flexibility, as the method being called can be determined at runtime based on the actual type of the object. This means that if the actual type of an object changes, the method being called can be adjusted accordingly, providing more robust and flexible code.

In summary, the difference between static and dynamic binding in Java is that static binding determines the method to be called at compile-time based on the type of the object, while dynamic binding determines the method to be called at runtime based on the actual type of the object.