Java class file

<p>A Java class file is a <a href="/facts/Computer_file/FjFH3Ufm">file</a> (with the .class <a href="/facts/Filename_extension/cJgfAym4">filename extension</a>) containing <a href="/facts/Java_bytecode/Nh1qKH4y">Java bytecode</a> that can be executed on the <a href="/facts/Java_virtual_machine/l9Nzrsun">Java Virtual Machine (JVM)</a>. A Java class file is usually produced by a <a href="/facts/Java_compiler/ajRWJnlW">Java compiler</a> from <a href="/facts/Java_(programming_language)/9ScgFyAL">Java programming language</a> <a href="/facts/Source_file/o9J6Jv23">source files</a> (.java files) containing Java <a href="/facts/Class_(programming)/zvzkSAtE">classes</a> (alternatively, other <a href="/facts/JVM_languages/IJ3vI5eN">JVM languages</a> can also be used to create class files). If a source file has more than one class, each class is compiled into a separate class file. Thus, it is called a .class file because it contains the bytecode for a single class.
</p><p>JVMs are available for many <a href="/facts/Platform_(computing)/DmKwp5Bk">platforms</a>, and a class file compiled on one platform will execute on a JVM of another platform. This makes Java applications <a href="/facts/Cross-platform/16zqdvNR">platform-independent</a>.
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Java class file open-in-new

Java class file