How to Run .JAR Files on Windows 10

JAR files contain executable java applications that can be launched directly from the desktop without having to install anything. In this article, we will show how to execute a jar file on Windows 10/Windows 11.

What is inside a JAR file?

A JAR file contains multiple items such as images, music, videos and even text. This type of file can be used to store almost any type of data. For example, you could use a jar file to store photos, documents, audio clips, video, etc. You can also use it to contain code, like JavaScript or Java.

JAR stands for Java ARchive. In fact, you can think of a JAR file as a container for any type of information. However, there are some things to keep in mind about how to properly work with JAR files.

How can JAR files be of use to you?

JAR files are one of the most important tools in Java development. They help developers package up classes, resources, and other code elements into a single file that can be distributed across multiple machines.

The format itself is simple enough: it consists of three parts: the name of the file, the version number, and the size of the file. In addition to those three pieces of information, there are some optional fields, such as the author, copyright notice, and description.

What exactly does JAR mean?

The.JAR file type is used to compress Java application archives. This is a common way to package up multiple.class files into one compressed archive file. You could use it to bundle up several different programs into one single executable file. However, you cannot run.JAR files directly; you must unpack them first.

A typical archive file looks like this:

Archive File Name Extension Example

.zip – Zip archive (.ZIP)

.tar – Tar archive (.TAR)

.7z – 7-Zip archive (.7Z)

.rar – RAR archive (.RAR)

How can JAR files be of use to you?

To install Java, download the most recent version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE), which you can find here. Once downloaded, open it up and follow the instructions to install. You can use the command prompt to launch the Java application. Run the Java Setup Wizard and follow the prompts to finish installing it.

For example, if you want to run a jar file called myJarFile.jar, type the following into the command prompt:

If you are having trouble getting the command prompt to work properly, try opening a DOS window and running the above commands there.

2. Utilize the Java (TM) Platform SE binaries.

Java is a programming language used to develop applications for mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, smart watches, etc. In addition to being able to write programs in Java, it is possible to execute those programs directly on the device.

The Java Development Kit (JDK) provides tools and APIs that allow developers to build Java apps and deploy them on Android devices. JDK includes the compiler, runtime environment, libraries, development tools, documentation, and samples.

In order to use JDK, we must download and install it. For this tutorial, we are downloading the latest version of JDK 8u212.

For instructions on how to download JDK, please follow this link.

Once downloaded, we need to extract the contents of the archive file. We do this by double clicking on the.tar.gz file.

After extracting the files, we need to move the extracted folder into our home directory. You can find out where your home directory is by opening a command prompt window and typing cd ~.

Now, we need to change the permissions of the jdk1.8.0_212 folder. In order to do this, we need to enter the following commands into the terminal window.

3. Install a JAR file opener.

Downloading a JAR file isn’t always easy. Most people use the default archive manager built into Android, but it doesn’t support opening those pesky Java Archive (.jar) files. If you’re looking for something better, there are plenty of apps out there that can help you unzip.jar files. Today we’ll take a look at one of the best.jar file extractors around – FileViewer Plus.

FileViewer Plus is a powerful tool that lets you view, edit, compress, decompress, rename, delete, move, copy, zip, unzip, split, merge, encrypt, decrypt, convert, and even burn.rar,.tar,.gz,.bz2,.7z,.ace,.zip,.cab,.iso,.img,.mdf,.vhd,.dmg,.nrg,.msi,.wim,.vdi,.vmx,.vsdx,.vmdk,.vhdx,.vhdx/…….

4. Utilize the Windows Command Prompt to execute a JAR file.

To run a jar file from a Windows Command prompt, you must first make sure that you are setting the path variables correctly. This includes adding the java bin directory to the system environment variables. You can do this by opening up the System Properties dialog box and clicking on the Advanced tab. Then scroll down to Environment Variables and add a new entry named Path. Make sure that it points to where Java is installed. For example, I use c:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_131\bin.

Next, we need to tell the operating system what program to execute when we type in the name of our application. We can do this by creating a batch script called myapp.bat. Add the following lines to the beginning of the script:

@echo off

set “JAVA_HOME%~dp0..\java\jdk1.7.0_80”

start javaw -jar “%JAVA_HOME%\lib\myapp.jar” %*

pause

Then save the file somewhere convenient like c:\myscripts\. Now whenever you want to start the app, just double-click on myapp.bat. If everything works out, you’ll see a window pop open saying something like:

5. Add an external JAR executable to Windows

There are many ways to add a third-party JRE/JDK to Windows. This video demonstrates how to do it via the Java Control Panel.

How to get a JAR file for your favorite app?

There are many websites offering jar (Java Archive) files for download. But how do you know whether it’s safe or not? And what happens if you accidentally download malware? You might want to take some precautions before downloading those jar files. Here are some tips to help you out.

Double Check the Source Code Before Downloading

If you don’t trust the site where you found the jar file, double check the source code before clicking the download button. If there is no link to the original developer, it could mean that the site is trying to scam you.

Use an Antivirus to Scan the Jar File

You can use an antivirus like Avast Free Edition to scan the downloaded file. This way, you can make sure that the jar file doesn’t contain anything malicious.

Don’t Click on Random Links

The best thing to do is not to click on random links. Instead, type the URL into your browser bar manually. If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of a link, you can always ask someone else for advice.

How can I extract a JAR file’s contents?

A jar file is a container format used to package up Java applications. You can use it to store compiled code, resources such as images, sounds, etc., or even just data. To access the data inside a jar file you must extract it. This tutorial explains how to extract the contents of jars.