Skip to main content

Java URL Class

Introduction to Java URL Class​

Java URL Class is a part of Java Networking and it stands for Uniform Resource Locator. It is a pointer to a resource on the World Wide Web. A resource could be a webpage, a picture, a video, or any other type of file.

In Java, the java.net.URL class represents a URL. Java URL class provides several methods that make it a convenient tool for browsing the internet.

Creating a URL Object​

To use the URL class in Java, you need to create an instance of the class. The syntax for creating a URL object is:

URL url = new URL(String spec);

Here, the spec string specifies a valid URL, including protocol (HTTP, FTP, etc.), server name (or IP address), optional port number, path of resource, etc.

For example:

URL url = new URL("http://www.example.com");

Methods of Java URL Class​

Java URL Class provides various methods to play around with URL in a Java program. Some of the commonly used methods are:

  • public String getProtocol( ): It's used to get the protocol of the URL.

  • public String getHost( ): It's used to get the host name of the URL.

  • public String getFile( ): It retrieves the filename of the URL.

  • public String getPath( ): It extracts the path of this URL.

  • public int getPort( ): It's used to get the port number of the URL.

  • public String toString( ): It gives a string representation of this URL.

Example of Java URL Class​

Let's use the URL class and its methods in a simple Java program.

import java.net.*;  
public class URLDemo{  
public static void main(String[] args){  
try{  
URL url=new URL("http://www.example.com:80/index.html");  
  
System.out.println("Protocol: "+url.getProtocol());  
System.out.println("Host Name: "+url.getHost());  
System.out.println("Port Number: "+url.getPort());  
System.out.println("File Name: "+url.getFile());  
  
}catch(Exception e){
System.out.println(e);
}  
}  
}

In this program, we are first creating a URL object. Then we are using the methods of the URL class to retrieve information about the URL like the protocol, host name, port number, and file name.

Conclusion​

Java URL class, part of Java Networking, is a powerful tool that allows you to connect and interact with the internet in your Java programs. It offers several inbuilt methods to retrieve and manipulate the components of a URL. Understanding and utilizing the URL class is essential for creating network-based applications in Java.