Nested Classes

In short: Nested classes are classes defined inside another class.

In more detail: Java knows static nested classes, inner classes, local classes and anonymous classes.

In Depth

• Static: static class Node, needs no object of the outer class.
• Inner class: belongs to an instance of the outer class and sees its attributes.
• Local/anonymous: inside a method or as a one-off implementation.

Useful when the inner class is only needed by the outer one (for example a node in a list). See inner classes, anonymous classes, class members.

See also: Inner Classes, Anonymous Classes, Class Members