JVM: Class File Format - Structure
Class File
Each .class file contains the definition of a single:
- class
- interface or
- a module
Class format (the specific order and meaning of bytes) described in the spec not neceserily applies to an actual file on the filesystem: those “bytes” might have been read from the database, downloaded from the web or constructed by a class loader; keep this in mind whenever you encounter the phrase “class file format”.









