JShell - The Java Shell Tool

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2024-09-05 09:00:06

jshell - interactively evaluate declarations, statements, and expressions of the Java programming language in a read-eval-print loop (REPL)

load-files One or more scripts to run when the tool is started. Scripts can contain any valid code snippets or jshell commands.

For more than one script, use a space to separate the names. Scripts are run in the order in which they're entered on the command line. Command-line scripts are run after startup scripts. To run a script after jshell is started, use the /open command.

To accept input from standard input and suppress the interactive I/O, enter a hyphen (-) for load-files. This option enables the use of the jshell tool in pipe chains.

jshell provides a way to interactively evaluate declarations, statements, and expressions of the Java programming language, making it easier to learn the language, explore unfamiliar code and APIs, and prototype complex code. Java statements, variable definitions, method definitions, class definitions, import statements, and expressions are accepted. The bits of code entered are called snippets.

As snippets are entered, they're evaluated, and feedback is provided. Feedback varies from the results and explanations of actions to nothing, depending on the snippet entered and the feedback mode chosen. Errors are described regardless of the feedback mode. Start with the verbose mode to get the most feedback while learning the tool.