Java class file: Difference between revisions

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In the [[Java (programming language)|Java programming language]], [[source file]]s (.java files) containing Java [[Class (programming)|classes]] are [[compiler|compiled]] into (virtual) machine-readable '''class files''' which have a .class extension. Since Java is a [[platform-independent]] language, [[source code]] is compiled into an output file known as [[Byte-code|bytecode]], which it stores in a .class file. If a source file has more than one class, each class is compiled into a separate .class file. These .class files can be loaded and executed by any [[Java Virtual Machine]] (JVM).

'''Java class file''' is a [[Computer file|file]] (with the <tt>.class</tt> [[filename extension]]) containing a [[Java bytecode]] which can be executed on the [[Java Virtual Machine|Java Virtual Machine (JVM)]]. Java class file is produced by [[Java compiler]] from [[Java (programming language)|Java programming language]] [[source file]]s (<tt>.java</tt> files) containing Java [[Class (programming)|classes]]. If a source file has more than one class, each class is compiled into a separate class file.

JVMs are available for many [[platform (computing)|platform]]s, and the .class file compiled in one platform will execute in a JVM of another platform. This makes Java platform-independent.

JVMs are available for many [[platform (computing)|platform]]s, and the .class file compiled in one platform will execute in a JVM of another platform. This makes Java [[cross-platform|platform-independent]].

==History==