Option '-jar' - Specifying Executable JAR Files

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This section provides a tutorial example on how to use the '-jar' option for the 'java' tool to specify an executable JAR file .

In order to use the "-jar" option, we need to create a JAR file with a "Main-Class" attribute in the manifest file.

Here is what I did to create a JAR file, and launch it with the "-jar" option.

First I created a manifest file, hello.fs:

Main-Class: Hello

Then I created an executable JAR file, hello.jar, with Hello.class and hello.fs:

C:\herong>javac Hello.java

C:\herong>jar -cvmf hello.fs hello.jar Hello.class
added manifest
adding: Hello.class(in = 416) (out= 285)(deflated 31%)

Finally, I launched the Hello.class program included in the executable JAR file:

C:\herong>java -jar hello.jar
Hello world!

Sections in This Chapter

'java' - Java Launching Command and Options

Launching Hello.java - My First Java Program

Option "-classpath" - Specifying Class Path

Option '-jar' - Specifying Executable JAR Files

Option '-X' - Specifying Non-Standard Options

'javaw' - Launching Java Programs without Console