Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

Inner Classes

Agenda

1. Introduction.
2. Normal or Regular inner classes
o Accessing inner class code from static area of outer class
o Accessing inner class code from instance area of outer class
o Accessing inner class code from outside of outer class
o The applicable modifiers for outer & inner classes
o Nesting of Inner classes
3. Method Local inner classes
4. Anonymous inner classes
o Anonymous inner class that extends a class
o Anonymous Inner Class that implements an interface
o Anonymous Inner Class that define inside method arguments
o Difference between general class and anonymous inner classes
o Explain the application areas of anonymous inner classes ?
5. Static nested classes
o Compression between normal or regular class and static nested class ?
6. Various possible combinations of nested class & interfaces
o class inside a class
o interface inside a class
o interface inside a interface
o class inside a interface
7. Conclusions

Introduction
 Sometimes we can declare a class inside another class such type of classes are
called inner classes.

Diagram:

 Sun people introduced inner classes in 1.1 version as part of "EventHandling" to

resolve GUI bugs.
 But because of powerful features and benefits of inner classes slowly the
programmers starts using in regular coding also.
 Without existing one type of object if there is no chance of existing another type of
object then we should go for inner classes.

Example:

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

Without existing University object there is no chance of existing Department object hence
we have to define Department class inside University class.

Example1:

Example 2:

Without existing Bank object there is no chance of existing Account object hence we have
to define Account class inside Bank class.

Example:

Example 3:

Without existing Map object there is no chance of existing Entry object hence Entry
interface is define inside Map interface.
Map is a collection of key-value pairs, each key-value pair is called an Entry.

Example:

Diagram:

Note : Without existing Outer class Object there is no chance of existing Inner class
Object.

Note: The relationship between outer class and inner class is not IS-A relationship and it
is Has-A relationship.

Based on the purpose and position of declaration all inner classes are divided into 4 types.
They are:

1. Normal or Regular inner classes

2. Method Local inner classes
3. Anonymous inner classes
4. Static nested classes.

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

1. Normal (or) Regular inner class:

If we are declaring any named class inside another class directly without static modifier
such type of inner classes are called normal or regular inner classes.

Example:

class Outer
{
class Inner
{
}
}
Output:

Example:

class Outer
{
class Inner
{
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
System.out.println("outer class main method");
}
}
Output:

 Inside inner class we can't declare static members. Hence it is not possible to
declare main() method and we can't invoke inner class directly from the command
prompt.

Example:
class Outer
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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

{
class Inner
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
System.out.println("inner class main
method");
}
}
}
Output:
E:\scjp>javac Outer.java
Outer.java:5: inner classes cannot have static declarations
public static void main(String[] args)

Accessing inner class code from static area of outer class:

Example:

class Outer
{
class Inner
{
public void methodOne(){
System.out.println("inner class method");
}
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{

}
}

Accessing inner class code from instance area of outer class:

Example:

class Outer
{
class Inner
{
public void methodOne()
{
System.out.println("inner class method");
}
}
public void methodTwo()
{
Inner i=new Inner();
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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

i.methodOne();
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
Outer o=new Outer();
o.methodTwo();
}
}
Output:
E:\scjp>javac Outer.java
E:\scjp>java Outer
Inner class method

Accessing inner class code from outside of outer class:

Example:

class Outer
{
class Inner
{
public void methodOne()
{
System.out.println("inner class method");
}
}
}
class Test
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
new Outer().new Inner().methodOne();
}
}
Output:
Inner class method

 From inner class we can access all members of outer class (both static and non-
static, private and non private methods and variables) directly.

Example:
class Outer
{
int x=10;
static int y=20;
class Inner{

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

public void methodOne()

{
System.out.println(x);//10
System.out.println(y);//20
}
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
new Outer().new Inner().methodOne();
}
}

 Within the inner class "this" always refers current inner class object. To refer
current outer class object we have to use "outer class name.this".

Example:
class Outer
{
int x=10;
class Inner
{
int x=100;
public void methodOne()
{
int x=1000;
System.out.println(x);//1000
System.out.println(this.x);//100
System.out.println(Outer.this.x);//10
}
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
new Outer().new Inner().methodOne();
}
}

The applicable modifiers for outer classes are:

1. public
2. default
3. final
4. abstract
5. strictfp

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

But for the inner classes in addition to this the following modifiers also allowed.

Diagram:

Nesting of Inner classes :

We can declare an inner class inside another inner class

Method local inner classes:

 Sometimes we can declare a class inside a method such type of inner classes are
called method local inner classes.
 The main objective of method local inner class is to define method specific
repeatedly required functionality.
 Method Local inner classes are best suitable to meet nested method requirement.
 We can access method local inner class only within the method where we declared
it. That is from outside of the method we can't access. As the scope of method
local inner classes is very less, this type of inner classes are most rarely used type
of inner classes.

Example:
class Test
{
public void methodOne()
{
class Inner
{
public void sum(int i,int j)
{
System.out.println("The sum:"+(i+j));
}
}
Inner i=new Inner();
i.sum(10,20);
;;;;;;;;;;;;;
i.sum(100,200);
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
i.sum(1000,2000);
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

new Test().methodOne();
}
}
Output:
The sum: 30
The sum: 300
The sum: 3000

 If we are declaring inner class inside instance method then we can access both
static and non static members of outer class directly.
 But if we are declaring inner class inside static method then we can access only
static members of outer class directly and we can't access instance members
directly.

Example:
class Test
{
int x=10;
static int y=20;
public void methodOne()
{
class Inner
{
public void methodTwo()
{
System.out.println(x);//10
System.out.println(y);//20
}
}
Inner i=new Inner();
i.methodTwo();
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
new Test().methodOne();
}
}

 If we declare methodOne() method as static then we will get compile time error
saying "non-static variable x cannot be referenced from a static context".
 From method local inner class we can't access local variables of the method in
which we declared it. But if that local variable is declared as final then we won't
get any compile time error.

Example:
class Test
{
int x=10;
public void methodOne()

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

{
int y=20;
class Inner
{
public void methodTwo()
{
System.out.println(x);//10
System.out.println(y); //C.E: local
variable y
is accessed from within
inner class;
needs to be declared
final.
}
}
Inner i=new Inner();
i.methodTwo();
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
new Test().methodOne();
}
}

 If we declared y as final then we won't get any compile time error.

 Consider the following declaration.

class Test
{
int i=10;
static int j=20;
public void methodOne()
{
int k=30;
final int l=40;
class Inner
{
public void methodTwo()
{
System.out.println(i);
System.out.println(j); //-->line 1
System.out.println(k);
System.out.println(l);
}
}
Inner i=new Inner();
i.methodTwo();
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
new Test().methodOne();
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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

}
}

At line 1 which of the following variables we can access ?

If we declare methodOne() method as static then which variables we can access at line 1
?

 If we declare methodTwo() as static then we will get compile time error because
we can't declare static members inside inner classes.
 The only applicable modifiers for method local inner classes are:
1. final
2. abstract
3. strictfp
 By mistake if we are declaring any other modifier we will get compile time error.

Anonymous inner classes:

 Sometimes we can declare inner class without name such type of inner classes are
called anonymous inner classes.
 The main objective of anonymous inner classes is "just for instant use".
 There are 3 types of anonymous inner classes
1. Anonymous inner class that extends a class.
2. Anonymous inner class that implements an interface.
3. Anonymous inner class that defined inside method arguments.

Anonymous inner class that extends a class:

class PopCorn
{
public void taste()
{
System.out.println("spicy");
}
}
class Test
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
PopCorn p=new PopCorn()
{

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

public void taste()

{
System.out.println("salty");
}
};
p.taste();//salty
PopCorn p1=new PopCorn()
p1.taste();//spicy
}
}
Analysis:

1. PopCorn p=new PopCorn();

We are just creating a PopCorn object.
2. PopCorn p=new PopCorn()
3. {
4. };
5. We are creating child class without name for the PopCorn class and for that child
class we are creating an object with Parent PopCorn reference.
6. PopCorn p=new PopCorn()
7. {
8. public void taste()
9. {
10. System.out.println("salty");
11. }
12. };
13.

1. We are creating child class for PopCorn without name.

2. We are overriding taste() method.
3. We are creating object for that child class with parent reference.

Note: Inside Anonymous inner classes we can take or declare new methods but outside
of anonymous inner classes we can't call these methods directly because we are
depending on parent reference.[parent reference can be used to hold child class object
but by using that reference we can't call child specific methods]. These methods just for
internal purpose only.

Example 1:

class PopCorn
{
public void taste()
{
System.out.println("spicy");
}
}
class Test
{
public static void main(String[] args)

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

{
PopCorn p=new PopCorn()
{
public void taste()
{
methodOne();//valid call(internal
purpose)
System.out.println("salty");
}
public void methodOne()
{
System.out.println("child specific
method");
}
};
//p.methodOne();//here we can not call(outside
inner class)
p.taste();//salty
PopCorn p1=new PopCorn();
p1.taste();//spicy
}
}
Output:
Child specific method
Salty
Spicy
Example 2:

class Test
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
Thread t=new Thread()
{
public void run()
{
for(int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
System.out.println("child
thread");
}
}
};
t.start();
for(int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
System.out.println("main thread");
}
}
}

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

Anonymous Inner Class that implements an interface:

Example:

class InnerClassesDemo
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
Runnable r=new Runnable() //here we are not
creating for
Runnable interface, we are
creating
implements class object.
{
public void run()
{
for(int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
System.out.println("Child
thread");
}
}
};
Thread t=new Thread(r);
t.start();
for(int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
System.out.println("Main thread");
}
}
}

Anonymous Inner Class that define inside method arguments:

Example:

class Test
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
new Thread(
new Runnable()
{
public void run()
{
for(int i=0;i<10;i++)
{

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

System.out.println("child
thread");
}
}
}).start();
for(int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
System.out.println("main thread");
}
}
}
Output:

 This output belongs to example 2, anonymous inner class that implements an

interface example and anonymous inner class that define inside method
arguments example.

Main thread
Main thread
Main thread
Main thread
Main thread
Main thread
Main thread
Main thread
Main thread
Main thread
Child thread
Child thread
Child thread
Child thread
Child thread
Child thread
Child thread
Child thread
Child thread
Child thread
Difference between general class and anonymous inner classes:
General Class Anonymous Inner Class

1) A general class can extends only one 1) Ofcource anonymous inner class also can
class at a time. extends only one class at a time.

2) A general class can implement any 2) But anonymous inner class can implement
no. Of interfaces at a time. only one interface at a time.

3) A general class can extends a class 3) But anonymous inner class can extends a class
and can implement an interface or can implements an interface but not both

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

simultaneously. simultaneously.

4) In normal Java class we can write 4) But in anonymous inner class we can't write
constructor because we know name of constructor because anonymous inner class not
the class. having any name.

Explain the application areas of anonymous inner classes ?

anonymous inner classes are best suitable to define call back functions in GUI components

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;

public class AnonymousInnerClassDemo {

public static void main(String args[]) {
Frame f=new Frame();

f.addWindowListener(new WindowAdaptor(){
public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) {
System.exit(0);
}
});

f.add(new Label("Anonymous Inner class Demo !!!"));

f.setSize(500,500);
f.setVisible(true);
}
}

Without Anonumous Inner class :

class GUI extends JFrame implements ActionListener {

JButton b1,b2,b3,b4;
-----------------
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
if(e.getSource()==b1) {
//perform b1 specific functionality
}
else if(e.getSource==b2){
//perform b2 specific functionality
}

---------------------

}
----------------

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

With Anonumous Inner class :

class GUI extends JFrame {

JButton b1,b2,b3,b4 ;
--------------------

b1.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
//perform b1 specific functionality
}
});

b2.addActionListener(new ActionListener() {
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
//perform b2 specific functionality
}
});

---------
}

Static nested classes:

 Sometimes we can declare inner classes with static modifier such type of inner
classes are called static nested classes.
 In the case of normal or regular inner classes without existing outer class object
there is no chance of existing inner class object.
i.e., inner class object is always strongly associated with outer class object.
 But in the case of static nested class without existing outer class object there may
be a chance of existing static nested class object.
i.e., static nested class object is not strongly associated with outer class object.

Example:
class Test
{
static class Nested
{
public void methodOne()
{
System.out.println("nested class method");
}
}
public static void main(String[] args)

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

{
Test.Nested t=new Test.Nested();
t.methodOne();
}
}

 Inside static nested classes we can declare static members including main() method
also. Hence it is possible to invoke static nested class directly from the command
prompt.

Example:
class Test
{
static class Nested
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
System.out.println("nested class main
method");
}
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
System.out.println("outer class main method");
}
}
Output:
E:\SCJP>javac Test.java
E:\SCJP>java Test
Outer class main method
E:\SCJP>java Test$Nested
Nested class main method

 From the normal inner class we can access both static and non static members of
outer class but from static nested class we can access only static members of outer
class.

Example:
class Test
{
int x=10;
static int y=20;
static class Nested
{
public void methodOne()
{
System.out.println(x);//C.E:non-static
variable x
cannot be referenced
from a static context

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

System.out.println(y);
}
}
}
Compression between normal or regular class and static nested class ?
Normal /regular inner class Static nested class

1) Without existing outer class object 1) Without existing outer class object there
there is no chance of existing inner class may be a chance of existing static nested class
object. That is inner class object is always object. That is static nested class object is not
associated with outer class object. associated with outer class object.

2) Inside normal or regular inner class we 2) Inside static nested class we can declare
can't declare static members. static members.

3) Inside normal inner class we can't 3) Inside static nested class we can declare
declare main() method and hence we can't main() method and hence we can invoke static
invoke regular inner class directly from the nested class directly from the command
command prompt. prompt.

4) From the normal or regular inner class

4) From static nested class we can access only
we can access both static and non static
static members of outer class directly.
members of outer class directly.

Various possible combinations of nested class & interfaces :

1. class inside a class :

 We can declare a class inside another class

 Without existing one type of object, if there is no chance of existing another type
of object, then we should go for clas inside a class

class University {
class Department {
}
}
Without existing University object, there is no chance of existing Department object. i.e.,
Department object is always associated with University

2. interface inside a class :

We can declare interface inside a class

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

class X {
interface Y {
}
}
Inside class if we required multiple implements of an interface and these implementations
of relevant to a perticular class, then we should declare interface inside a class.

class VehicleType {
interface Vehicle {
public int getNoOfWheels();
}

class Bus implements Vehicle {

public int getNoOfWheels() {
return 6;
}
}

class Auto implements Vehicle {

public int getNoOfWheels() {
return 3;
}
}

3. interface inside a interface :

We can declare an interface inside another interface.

interface Map {
interface Entry {
public Object getKey();
public Object getValue();
public Object getValue(Object new );
}
}
Nested interfaces are always public,static whether we are declaring or not. Hence we can
implements inner inteface directly with out implementing outer interface.

interface Outer {
public void methodOne();
interface Inner {
public void methodTwo();
}
}

class Test implements Outer.Inner {

public void methodTwo() {

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

System.out.println("Inner interface method");

}
public static void main(String args[]) {
Test t=new Test();
t.methodTwo();
}
}
Whenever we are implementing Outer interface , it is not required to implement Inner
interfaces.

class Test implements Outer {

public void methodOne() {
System.out.println("Outer interface method ");
}
public static void main(String args[]) {
Test t=new Test();
t.methodOne();
}

}
i.e., Both Outer and Inner interfaces we can implement independently.

4. class inside a interface :

We can declare a class inside interface. If a class functionality is closely associated with
the use interface then it is highly recommended to declare class inside interface

Example:

interface EmailServer {
public void sendEmail(EmailDetails e);

class EmailDetails {
String from;
String to;
String subject;
}
}
In the above example Emaildetails functionality is required for EmailService and we are
not using anyware else . Hence we can declare EmailDetails class inside EmailService
interface .

We can also declare a class inside interface to provide default implementation for that
interface.

Example :

interface Vehicle {
public int getNoOfWheels();

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Core Java with SCJP/ OCJP Notes By Durga Sir Inner Classes

class DefaultVehicle implements Vehicle {

public int getNoOfWheels() {
return 3;
}
}
}

class Bus implements Vehicle {

public int getNoOfWheels() {
return 6;
}
}

class Test {
public static void main(String args[]) {
Bus b=new Bus();
System.out.println(b.getNoOfWheels());

Vehicle.DefaultVehicle d=new Vehicle.DefaultVehicle();

System.out.println(d.getNoOfWheels());
}
}
In the above example DefaultVehicle in the default implementation of Vehicle interface
where as Bus customized implementation of Vehicle interface.
The class which is declared inside interface is always static ,hence we can create object
directly without having outer interface type object.

Conclusions :

1. We can declare anything inside any thing with respect to classes and interfaces.

2. Nesting interfaces are always public, static whether we are declaring or not.
3. class which is declared inside interface is always public,static whether we are
declaring or not.

nd
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