What does Class.forName() Method do

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Method forName() is a static method of java.lang.Class. This can be used to dynamically load a class at run-time. Class.forName() loads the class if its not already loaded. It also executes the static block of loaded class. Then this method returns an instance of the loaded class. So a call to Class.forName(‘MyClass’) is going to do following:

  • Load the class MyClass.
  • Execute any static block code of MyClass.
  • Return an instance of MyClass.

JDBC Driver loading using Class.forName is a good example of best use of this method. The driver loading is done like this

Class.forName(“org.mysql.Driver”);

All JDBC Drivers have a static block that registers itself with DriverManager and DriverManager has static initializer method registerDriver() which can be called in a static blocks of Driver class. A MySQL JDBC Driver has a static initializer which looks like this:

static {

try {

java.sql.DriverManager.registerDriver(new Driver());

} catch (SQLException E) {

throw new RuntimeException(“Can’t register driver!”);

}

}

Class.forName() loads driver class and executes the static block and the Driver registers itself with the DriverManager.