Package

What Does Package Mean?

In the context of Java, a package is an organized and functionality based set of related interfaces and classes. Packages organize classes that belong to the same category or provide similar functionality. Classes facilitate class downloads in groups and may be stored in compressed files, like Java Archive (JAR) files.

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Package names should be unique, and a package class may access package access members for other package classes.

Techopedia Explains Package

Java packages are similar to labeled computer folders. For example, most users prefer keeping HTML pages, images, and scripts in different folders for better organization. Likewise, there are many classes and interfaces in the Java language. Programmers prefer organizing related classes and interfaces in different directories. Thus, a particular package contains interrelated classes and interfaces.

Generally, a Java package may contain classes, interfaces, Java annotations and enumerated types. To define a class package, the package keyword is used in the source file for that class and is usually the first keyword in the source file. For example, if a class named Foo belongs to a package named com.mypackage, the following line should exist at the beginning of the Foo Java source file: package com.mypackage.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…