How does a Java static inner class behave?

• A. It is linked to an outer class instance
• B. It cannot access non-static members of the outer class directly
• C. It requires an instance of the outer class to access any members
• D. It can redefine the outer class's static methods

Answer: (B)

A Java static inner class is a nested class that is declared with the static modifier. This means that it does not depend on an instance of the enclosing outer class. As a result, a static inner class cannot directly access non-static (instance) members and methods of its outer class.

When an inner class is marked static, it can only access the static members of the outer class. So, it doesn’t require an instance of the outer class to instantiate it or access its static members. This characteristic is important because it emphasizes the design that separates the scope of the static inner class from the instance members of the outer class.

Overall, choice B accurately captures this behavior by indicating that a static inner class cannot directly access non-static members of the outer class. This understanding helps clarify how inner classes work in Java and highlights the distinction between static and non-static contexts.