Java: Jar and manifest files

To run any java-bean it is necessary to create two files before. They are

•     Manifest files
•     Jar (java archive) files

Jar (java archive) files

  Jar files are the collection of class files grouped with related sources as a zip. Just like zip file it is a compressed file that contain all the class files related to java-bean.

Jar files are used in the installation of any software.

Digital signature can be embedded with the jar files, so authentication of each element of jar file can be verified Due to compression of jar just like zip archive it is easy to download any software using jar file.

Manifest file

    A jar file contains mainly components along with java—bean classes. It is necessary to denote which component of jar file is a java-bean. For do this we use the concept of manifest file.

    It will contain all the path of all the components which we can need to create a jar file ( generally before crating jar we must create manifest file) but the last component of this file must be a java-bean.