nested classes

Only nested classes can be static. By doing so you can use the nested class without having an instance of the outer class.

class OuterClass{ 
    public static class StaticNestedClass{ 
    } 
 
    public class InnerClass{ 
    } 
 
    public InnerClass getAnInnerClass(){ 
        return new InnerClass(); 
    } 
 
    //This method doesn't work 
    public static InnerClass getAnInnerClassStatically(){ 
        return new InnerClass(); 
    } 
} 
 
class OtherClass{ 
    //Use of a static nested class: 
    private OuterClass.StaticNestedClass staticNestedClass = new OuterClass.StaticNestedClass(); 
 
    //Doesn't work 
    private OuterClass.InnerClass innerClass = new OuterClass.InnerClass(); 
 
    //Use of an inner class: 
    private OuterClass outerclass= new OuterClass(); 
    private OuterClass.InnerClass innerClass2 = outerclass.getAnInnerClass(); 
    private OuterClass.InnerClass innerClass3 = outerclass.new InnerClass(); 
}