OS Manuals

/usr/lib/jvm/java-11-zulu/bin/jar

Zulu 11 Java development kit (PSU stream)

From zulu-11-psu 11.0.32-r2 (enterprise-packages), captured 2026-11-08 by running jar --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: jar [OPTION...] [ [--release VERSION] [-C dir] files] ...
jar creates an archive for classes and resources, and can manipulate or
restore individual classes or resources from an archive.

 Examples:
 # Create an archive called classes.jar with two class files:
 jar --create --file classes.jar Foo.class Bar.class
 # Create an archive using an existing manifest, with all the files in foo/:
 jar --create --file classes.jar --manifest mymanifest -C foo/ .
 # Create a modular jar archive, where the module descriptor is located in
 # classes/module-info.class:
 jar --create --file foo.jar --main-class com.foo.Main --module-version 1.0
     -C foo/ classes resources
 # Update an existing non-modular jar to a modular jar:
 jar --update --file foo.jar --main-class com.foo.Main --module-version 1.0
     -C foo/ module-info.class
 # Create a multi-release jar, placing some files in the META-INF/versions/9 directory:
 jar --create --file mr.jar -C foo classes --release 9 -C foo9 classes

To shorten or simplify the jar command, you can specify arguments in a separate
text file and pass it to the jar command with the at sign (@) as a prefix.

 Examples:
 # Read additional options and list of class files from the file classes.list
 jar --create --file my.jar @classes.list


 Main operation mode:

  -c, --create               Create the archive
  -i, --generate-index=FILE  Generate index information for the specified jar
                             archives
  -t, --list                 List the table of contents for the archive
  -u, --update               Update an existing jar archive
  -x, --extract              Extract named (or all) files from the archive.
                             If a file with the same name appears more than once in
                             the archive, each copy will be extracted, with later copies
                             overwriting (replacing) earlier copies unless -k is specified.
  -d, --describe-module      Print the module descriptor, or automatic module name

 Operation modifiers valid in any mode:

  -C DIR                     Change to the specified directory and include the
                             following file
  -f, --file=FILE            The archive file name. When omitted, either stdin or
                             stdout is used based on the operation
      --release VERSION      Places all following files in a versioned directory
                             of the jar (i.e. META-INF/versions/VERSION/)
  -v, --verbose              Generate verbose output on standard output

 Operation modifiers valid only in create and update mode:

  -e, --main-class=CLASSNAME The application entry point for stand-alone
                             applications bundled into a modular, or executable,
                             jar archive
  -m, --manifest=FILE        Include the manifest information from the given
                             manifest file
  -M, --no-manifest          Do not create a manifest file for the entries
      --module-version=VERSION    The module version, when creating a modular
                             jar, or updating a non-modular jar
      --hash-modules=PATTERN Compute and record the hashes of modules
                             matched by the given pattern and that depend upon
                             directly or indirectly on a modular jar being
                             created or a non-modular jar being updated
  -p, --module-path          Location of module dependence for generating
                             the hash

 Operation modifiers valid only in create, update, and generate-index mode:

  -0, --no-compress          Store only; use no ZIP compression

 Operation modifiers valid only in extract mode:

  -k, --keep-old-files       Do not overwrite existing files.
                             If a Jar file entry with the same name exists in the target
                             directory, the existing file will not be overwritten.
                             As a result, if a file appears more than once in an
                             archive, later copies will not overwrite earlier copies.
                             Also note that some file system can be case insensitive.

 Other options:

  -?, -h, --help[:compat]    Give this, or optionally the compatibility, help
      --help-extra           Give help on extra options
      --version              Print program version

 An archive is a modular jar if a module descriptor, 'module-info.class', is
 located in the root of the given directories, or the root of the jar archive
 itself. The following operations are only valid when creating a modular jar,
 or updating an existing non-modular jar: '--module-version',
 '--hash-modules', and '--module-path'.

 Mandatory or optional arguments to long options are also mandatory or optional
 for any corresponding short options.
Options (20)
OptionDescriptionSource
-c, --createCreate the archivehelp
-i, --generate-index FILEGenerate index information for the specified jar archiveshelp
-t, --listList the table of contents for the archivehelp
-u, --updateUpdate an existing jar archivehelp
-x, --extractExtract named (or all) files from the archive.help
-d, --describe-modulePrint the module descriptor, or automatic module namehelp
-C DIRWhen creating (c) or updating (u) a JAR file, this option temporarily changes the directory while processing files specified by the file operands.help + man
-f, --file FILEThe archive file name.help
--release VERSIONPlaces all following files in a versioned directory of the jar (i.e. META-INF/versions/VERSION/)help
-v, --verboseGenerate verbose output on standard outputhelp
-m, --manifest FILEInclude the manifest information from the given manifest filehelp
-M, --no-manifestDo not create a manifest file for the entrieshelp
--module-version VERSIONThe module version, when creating a modular jar, or updating a non-modular jarhelp
-p, --module-pathLocation of module dependence for generating the hashhelp
-0, --no-compressStore only;help
-k, --keep-old-filesDo not overwrite existing files.help
-?, -h, --help :compatGive this, or optionally the compatibility, helphelp
--help-extraGive help on extra optionshelp
--versionPrint program versionhelp
-JoptionSets the specified JVM option to be used when the JRE runs the JAR file. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
Examples (40) from the manual page, untested

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.