Static classes in Java--something is being shadowed

Question

Following is the simplest example of static inner class in Java. Let's look at it.

package staticclass;

final class Outer
{
    final public static class Inner
    {
        static String s = "Black";
    }

    static Extra Inner = new Extra();   //The inner class name and the object name of the class  Extra are same and it is responsible for shadowing/hiding Inner.s
}

final class Extra
{
    String s = "White";
}

final public class Main
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        System.out.println(Outer.Inner.s);
    }
}

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Within the Outer class, there is a static class named Inner and a static object with the same name Inner of type Extra. The program displays Whilte on the console, a string in the Extra class through Outer.Inner.s in main() which is intended to display the string contained in the Inner class within the Outer class

---

Why is there no name collision between a static inner class and a static object of type Extra? How does the Extra class enjoys the higher priority than the Inner class and displays the string contained in the Extra class?

Answer 1

This is what the JLS says. which I believe applies to your case:

6.3.2 Obscured Declarations

A simple name may occur in contexts where it may potentially be interpreted as the name of a variable, a type or a package. In these situations, the rules of §6.5 specify that a variable will be chosen in preference to a type, and that a type will be chosen in preference to a package.

So since your static Extra Inner = new Extra() is a variable, it will be chosen over final public static class Inner which is a type.

The quite more elaborate paragraph 6.3.1 specifies how shadowing generally is to be resolved.