Open and use JAR file: It's that easy

Although JAR is not the most common format, you may still come across such a file. In order to be able to open and use it, you need a specific program.

How to open a JAR file

The cornerstone of being able to open a JAR file is having the right Java program. This is because a JAR file is a Java archive and often contains multiple Java files.

1. Programs you can use to open a JAR file are WinRAR, WinZIP or even 7zip. Access to these programs is free of charge.
2. Download a software of your choice, for example WinRAR.
3. Now open your Java program with which you want to open the JAR file.
4. Drag your JAR file into the program window or click in the menu on "File" and then on "Open".
5. In order that you can not only open the file, but also run it, it is necessary that you have installed the Java Runtime Environment.
6. After opening the file within the Java program, double-click on a contained Java file and the program will now open it automatically.

Is a JAR file a ZIP folder?

In principle, a JAR file and a ZIP folder are absolutely comparable, because both variants have a compressed storage format for multiple files. However, you can save Java files as a ZIP file only if you change the file format beforehand. However, this way you can make sure that everyone can open your files.