Class.forName() vs ClassLoader.loadClass() - which to use for dynamic loading? [duplicate]

Answer 1

ClassLoader is an abstract class, however your application is always loaded by a classloader, there could be custom class loaders such as network classloader or any other source.

On the other hand Class in itself represents classes and interfaces and the class Class has a forName function that uses the current class loader in which your application is running by default to load the class.

Here is the source for the Class.forName which in turn invokes the calling classloader.

public static Class forName(String className)
            throws ClassNotFoundException {
    return forName0(className, true, ClassLoader.getCallerClassLoader());
}

http://docs.oracle.com/javase/1.4.2/docs/api/java/lang/ClassLoader.html

http://docs.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/lang/Class.html#forName(java.lang.String)

Hint: Primordial class loader http://docs.oracle.com/javase/1.4.2/docs/guide/security/spec/security-spec.doc5.html