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Nested Classes

Nested classes allow one class to be defined within another. There are two types of nested classes: static and non-static (inner classes). Static nested classes do not have access to outer class members while inner classes do have access to outer class members, even private ones. Nested classes increase encapsulation and lead to more readable code by grouping related classes together logically. Static nested classes interact like regular top-level classes while inner classes are associated with an outer class instance and can only exist within an outer class instance.

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56 views

Nested Classes

Nested classes allow one class to be defined within another. There are two types of nested classes: static and non-static (inner classes). Static nested classes do not have access to outer class members while inner classes do have access to outer class members, even private ones. Nested classes increase encapsulation and lead to more readable code by grouping related classes together logically. Static nested classes interact like regular top-level classes while inner classes are associated with an outer class instance and can only exist within an outer class instance.

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I@Sydney
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Nested Classes

Nested Classes
The Java programming language allows you to define a class within another class. Such a
class is called a nested class and is illustrated here:
class OuterClass {
...
class NestedClass {
...
}
}
Terminology: Nested classes are divided into two categories: static and non-static.
Nested classes that are declared static are simply called static nested classes. Non-static
nested classes are called inner classes.
class OuterClass {
...
static class StaticNestedClass {
...
}
class InnerClass {
...
}
}
A nested class is a member of its enclosing class. Non-static nested classes (inner classes)
have access to other members of the enclosing class, even if they are declared private.
Static nested classes do not have access to other members of the enclosing class. As a
member of the OuterClass, a nested class can be declared private, public, protected,
or package private. (Recall that outer classes can only be declared public or package
private.)

Why Use Nested Classes?

There are several compelling reasons for using nested classes, among them:

• It is a way of logically grouping classes that are only used in one place.
• It increases encapsulation.
• Nested classes can lead to more readable and maintainable code.

Logical grouping of classes—If a class is useful to only one other class, then it is logical
to embed it in that class and keep the two together. Nesting such "helper classes" makes
their package more streamlined.

Increased encapsulation—Consider two top-level classes, A and B, where B needs


access to members of A that would otherwise be declared private. By hiding class B
within class A, A's members can be declared private and B can access them. In addition,
B itself can be hidden from the outside world.
More readable, maintainable code—Nesting small classes within top-level classes
places the code closer to where it is used.

Static Nested Classes

As with class methods and variables, a static nested class is associated with its outer
class. And like static class methods, a static nested class cannot refer directly to instance
variables or methods defined in its enclosing class — it can use them only through an
object reference.
Note: A static nested class interacts with the instance members of its outer class (and
other classes) just like any other top-level class. In effect, a static nested class is
behaviorally a top-level class that has been nested in another top-level class for
packaging convenience.

Static nested classes are accessed using the enclosing class name:

OuterClass.StaticNestedClass
For example, to create an object for the static nested class, use this syntax:
OuterClass.StaticNestedClass nestedObject = new
OuterClass.StaticNestedClass();

Inner Classes

As with instance methods and variables, an inner class is associated with an instance of
its enclosing class and has direct access to that object's methods and fields. Also, because
an inner class is associated with an instance, it cannot define any static members itself.

Objects that are instances of an inner class exist within an instance of the outer class.
Consider the following classes:

class OuterClass {
...
class InnerClass {
...
}
}

An instance of InnerClass can exist only within an instance of OuterClass and has
direct access to the methods and fields of its enclosing instance. The next figure
illustrates this idea.
An InnerClass Exists Within an Instance of OuterClass

To instantiate an inner class, you must first instantiate the outer class. Then, create the
inner object within the outer object with this syntax:

OuterClass.InnerClass innerObject = outerObject.new InnerClass();


Additionally, there are two special kinds of inner classes: local classes and anonymous
classes (also called anonymous inner classes). Both of these will be discussed briefly in
the next section.

http://blogs.sun.com/darcy/entry/nested_inner_member_and_top

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