Hi, I know that a non-static inner class can not have static members. But the following code compiles successfully and I am confused at it.

class MyOuter
{
MyInner inner = new MyInner();

   class MyInner
   {
      //private static int[] arr1 = new int[2];
      //private static int a1 = 5;
      //private static final int[] arr2 = new int[2];
      //private static final String str = foo();  //compiling error
       private static final int a2 = 5;
    }
}

This class compiles successfully though it does not do anything. Here a2 has been declared both static and final and compiler does not object to that whereas if I uncomment any of the commented declarations, the compiler shows errors. Please tell me what is the problem over here.

 

 

The rule is that inner classes may not declare static members, unless they are compile-time constant fields.

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/expressions.html#5313

 

 

Thanks a lot YoGee.

It was great to learn the fact that compile-time constants can be declared in non-static classes.