include::summary.adoc[]

== Why is this an issue?

``++private++`` classes that are never used are dead code: unnecessary, inoperative code that should be removed. Cleaning out dead code decreases the size of the maintained codebase, making it easier to understand the program and preventing bugs from being introduced.

=== Code examples

=== Noncompliant code example

[source,java,diff-id=1,diff-type=noncompliant]
----
public class TopLevel
{
  private class Nested {...} // Noncompliant: Nested is never used
}
----

==== Compliant solution

[source,java,diff-id=1,diff-type=compliant]
----
public class TopLevel
{
  void doSomething() {
    Nested a = new Nested();
    ...
  }
  private class Nested {...}
}
----