[java] javac option to compile all java files under a given directory recursively

I am using the javac compiler to compile java files in my project. The files are distributed over several packages like this: com.vistas.util, com.vistas.converter, com.vistas.LineHelper, com.current.mdcontect.

Each of these packages has several java files. I am using javac like this:

javac com/vistas/util/*.java com/vistas/converter/*.java
      com.vistas.LineHelper/*.java com/current/mdcontect/*.java

(in one line)

Instead of giving so many paths, how can I ask the compiler to compile recursively all the java files from the parent com directory?

javac -cp "jar_path/*" $(find . -name '*.java')

(I prefer not to use xargs because it can split them up and run javac multiple times, each with a subset of java files, some of which may import other ones not specified on the same javac command line)

If you have an App.java entrypoint, freaker's way with -sourcepath is best. It compiles every other java file it needs, following the import-dependencies. eg:

javac -cp "jar_path/*" -sourcepath src/ src/com/companyname/modulename/App.java

You can also specify a target class-file dir: -d target/.

find . -name "*.java" -print | xargs javac 

Kinda brutal, but works like hell. (Use only on small programs, it's absolutely not efficient)

I'm just using make with a simple makefile that looks like this:

JAVAC = javac -Xlint:unchecked
sources = $(shell find . -type f -name '*.java')
classes = $(sources:.java=.class)

all : $(classes)

clean :
        rm -f $(classes)

%.class : %.java
        $(JAVAC) $<

It compiles the sources one at a time and only recompiles if necessary.

I've been using this in an Xcode JNI project to recursively build my test classes:

find ${PROJECT_DIR} -name "*.java" -print | xargs javac -g -classpath ${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR} -d ${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}

In the usual case where you want to compile your whole project you can simply supply javac with your main class and let it compile all required dependencies:

javac -sourcepath . path/to/Main.java

javac command does not follow a recursive compilation process, so you have either specify each directory when running command, or provide a text file with directories you want to include:

javac -classpath "${CLASSPATH}" @java_sources.txt

If your shell supports it, would something like this work ?

javac com/**/*.java 

If your shell does not support **, then maybe

javac com/*/*/*.java

works (for all packages with 3 components - adapt for more or less).

I would advice you to learn using ant, which is very-well suited for this task and is very easy to grasp and well documented.

You would just have to define a target like this in the build.xml file:

<target name="compile">
    <javac srcdir="your/source/directory"
           destdir="your/output/directory"
           classpath="xyz.jar" />
</target>