A method-local inner class can be instantiated only within the method where the inner class is defined. In other words,

no other code running in any other method inside or outside the outer class can ever instantiate the method-local

inner class.

Can |Cannot

----------------|----------------

Access private members of the outer/enclosing class. | Cannot use the local variables of the method the inner class is in.

The only modifiers you can apply to a method-local inner class are abstract and final, but, as always, never both at the same time. | You can't mark a method-local inner class public, private, protected, static, transient (just like a variable).