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javaclassprotected

Why can a class not be defined as protected?

Why can we not define a class as protected?

I know that we can't, but why? There should be some specific reason.

Solution

  • Because it makes no sense.

    Protected class member (method or variable) is just like package-private (default visibility), except that it also can be accessed from subclasses.
    Since there's no such concept as 'subpackage' or 'package-inheritance' in Java, declaring class protected or package-private would be the same thing.

    You can declare nested and inner classes as protected or private, though.