What are the functions of path and classpath in Java?

In Java, both path and classpath are used to specify the locations where the program searches for class files at runtime.

  1. The Path is used to specify the search path for executable programs in the operating system. When we enter a command in the command line, the operating system searches for executable files in the Path and then executes them. In Java, the Path can be used to specify the search path for executable files when the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) runs a Java program. The Path can be configured by setting environment variables.
  2. Classpath is used to specify the path that the Java virtual machine searches for class files when executing a Java program. The virtual machine needs to load various class files used in the program, which may be scattered in different directories or JAR files. By setting the Classpath, we can tell the Java virtual machine where to look for the needed class files.

In Java development, we can use the command line parameters “-classpath” or “-cp” to set the Classpath path. Additionally, we can also set a default Classpath path by setting environment variables. In development environments, IDEs typically automatically manage the Classpath path.

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