How to load/reference a file as a File instance from the classpath

Solution 1:

Try getting hold of a URL for your classpath resource:

URL url = this.getClass().getResource("/com/path/to/file.txt")

Then create a file using the constructor that accepts a URI:

File file = new File(url.toURI());

Solution 2:

This also works, and doesn't require a /path/to/file URI conversion. If the file is on the classpath, this will find it.

File currFile = new File(getClass().getClassLoader().getResource("the_file.txt").getFile());

Solution 3:

I find this one-line code as most efficient and useful:

File file = new File(ClassLoader.getSystemResource("com/path/to/file.txt").getFile());

Works like a charm.

Solution 4:

Or use directly the InputStream of the resource using the absolute CLASSPATH path (starting with the / slash character):

getClass().getResourceAsStream("/com/path/to/file.txt");

Or relative CLASSPATH path (when the class you are writing is in the same Java package as the resource file itself, i.e. com.path.to):

getClass().getResourceAsStream("file.txt");