[class.local]

# 11 Classes [[class]](./#class)

## 11.6 Local class declarations [class.local]

[1](#1)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/classes.tex#L3443)

A class can be declared within a function definition; such a class is
called a [*local class*](#def:class,local "11.6 Local class declarations [class.local]")[.](#1.sentence-1)

[*Note [1](#note-1)*:

A declaration in a local class
cannot odr-use ([[basic.def.odr]](basic.def.odr#term.odr.use "6.3 One-definition rule"))
a local entity
from an
enclosing scope[.](#1.sentence-2)

— *end note*]

[*Example [1](#example-1)*: int x;void f() {static int s; int x; const int N = 5; extern int q(); int arr[2]; auto [y, z] = arr; struct local {int g() { return x; } // error: odr-use of non-odr-usable variable xint h() { return s; } // OKint k() { return ::x; } // OKint l() { return q(); } // OKint m() { return N; } // OK, not an odr-useint* n() { return &N; } // error: odr-use of non-odr-usable variable Nint p() { return y; } // error: odr-use of non-odr-usable structured binding y};} local* p = 0; // error: local not found — *end example*]

[2](#2)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/classes.tex#L3479)

An enclosing function has no special access to members of the local
class; it obeys the usual access rules ([[class.access]](class.access "11.8 Member access control"))[.](#2.sentence-1)

Member functions of a local class shall be defined within their class
definition, if they are defined at all[.](#2.sentence-2)

[3](#3)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/classes.tex#L3486)

A class nested within
a local class is a local class[.](#3.sentence-1)

A member of a local class X shall be
declared only in the definition of X or,
if the member is a nested class,
in the nearest enclosing block scope of X[.](#3.sentence-2)

[4](#4)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/classes.tex#L3496)

[*Note [2](#note-2)*:

A local class cannot have static data members ([[class.static.data]](class.static.data "11.4.9.3 Static data members"))[.](#4.sentence-1)

— *end note*]