How to Open .Jar Files

The Java Archive (jar) file is used to archive many files into a single file. It is most often used to distribute Java classes and metadata. The .jar file uses a form of the .zip file format to create the archive file. To create or extract a jar file, the user must have the Java JDK (Java Development Kit). The JDK is available to download and use free of charge from Sun Microsystems.

Things You'll Need

• Java JDK

Instructions

1. Open a command prompt window in Windows or a terminal window in Linux and Mac OSX.

2. Type the command "cd jar_directory" to navigate to the directory where your .jar file is held. Change "jar_directory" to reflect the path to your jar file.

3. Type the command "jar xf file.jar" to extract the contents of the .jar file.

4. Type "exit" to close the command prompt or terminal window.

References

• Extracting the Contents of a Jar File
• Sun.com: Jar File Specification

Resources

• Java JDK