Blocks and Statements - The Java Language Specification - page 370

class AnotherLocal {
void bar() {
class Local {} // ok
}
}
}
class Local {} // ok, not in scope of prior Local
}
}
The first statement of method foo creates an instance of the member class Global.Cyclic
rather than an instance of the local class Cyclic , because the local class declaration is
not yet in scope.
The fact that the scope of a local class encompasses its own declaration (not only its
body) means that the definition of the local class Cyclic is indeed cyclic because it ex-
tends itself rather than Global.Cyclic . Consequently, the declaration of the local class
Cyclic will be rejected at compile time.
Since local class names cannot be redeclared within the same method (or constructor
or initializer, as the case may be), the second and third declarations of Local result in
compile-time errors. However, Local can be redeclared in the context of another, more
deeply nested, class such as AnotherLocal .
The fourth and last declaration of Local is legal, since it occurs outside the scope of
any prior declaration of Local .
14.4. Local Variable Declaration Statements
A local variable declaration statement declares one or more local variable names.
LocalVariableDeclarationStatement:
LocalVariableDeclaration ;
LocalVariableDeclaration:
VariableModifiers opt Type VariableDeclarators
The following are repeated from § 8.4.1 and § 8.3 to make the presentation here clearer:
VariableModifiers:
VariableModifier
VariableModifiers VariableModifier
VariableModifier: one of
Annotation final