Java Class forName(String className) Method

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Description

The Java Class forName(String className) method returns the Class object associated with the class or interface with the given string name.

Declaration

Following is the declaration for java.lang.Class.forName() method

public static Class<?> forName(String className) throws ClassNotFoundException

Parameters

className − This is the fully qualified name of the desired class.

Return Value

This method returns the Class object for the class with the specified name.

Exception

• LinkageError − if the linkage fails.

• ExceptionInInitializerError − if the initialization provoked by this method fails.

• ClassNotFoundException − if the class cannot be located.

Getting Class by Name Example

The following example shows the usage of java.lang.Class.forName() method. Using forName() method, we've received the Class of ClassLoader class by its name. Then using getName, name of the class and using getPackage(), name of the package of the class is printed.

package com.tutorialspoint;

public class ClassDemo {

   public static void main(String[] args) {

      try {
         // returns the Class object for the class with the specified name
         Class cls = Class.forName("java.lang.ClassLoader");
         
         // returns the name and package of the class
         System.out.println("Class found = " + cls.getName());
         System.out.println("Package = " + cls.getPackage());
      } catch(ClassNotFoundException ex) {
         System.out.println(ex.toString());
      }
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

Class found = java.lang.ClassLoader
Package = package java.lang, Java Platform API Specification, version 1.8

Getting Custom Class by Name Example

The following example shows the usage of java.lang.Class.forName() method. Using forName() method, we've received the Class of ClassDemo class by its fully qualified name. Then using getName, name of the class and using getPackage(), name of the package of the class is printed.

package com.tutorialspoint;

public class ClassDemo {

   public static void main(String[] args) {

      try {
         // returns the Class object for the class with the specified name
         Class cls = Class.forName("com.tutorialspoint.ClassDemo");
         
         // returns the name and package of the class
         System.out.println("Class found = " + cls.getName());
         System.out.println("Package = " + cls.getPackage());
      } catch(ClassNotFoundException ex) {
         System.out.println(ex.toString());
      }
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

Class found = com.tutorialspoint.ClassDemo
Package = package com.tutorialspoint

Facing Exception while getting Custom Class by Name Example

The following example shows the usage of java.lang.Class.forName() method. Using forName() method, we've received the Class of ClassDemo class by its name. Then using getName, name of the class and using getPackage(), name of the package of the class is printed.

package com.tutorialspoint;

public class ClassDemo {

   public static void main(String[] args) {

      try {
         // returns the Class object for the class with the specified name
         Class cls = Class.forName("ClassDemo");
         
         // returns the name and package of the class
         System.out.println("Class found = " + cls.getName());
         System.out.println("Package = " + cls.getPackage());
      } catch(ClassNotFoundException ex) {
         System.out.println(ex.toString());
      }
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: ClassDemo