Added in [API level 3](https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/uses-sdk-element#ApiLevels) Summary: [Ctors](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#pubctors) \| [Inherited Methods](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#inhmethods)

# DexClassLoader

` public class DexClassLoader `   
` ` ` ` ` extends https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/BaseDexClassLoader ` ` `

|---|---|---|---|
| [java.lang.Object](https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object) ||||
| ↳ | [java.lang.ClassLoader](https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader) |||
|   | ↳ | [dalvik.system.BaseDexClassLoader](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/BaseDexClassLoader) ||
|   |   | ↳ | dalvik.system.DexClassLoader |

<br />

*** ** * ** ***

A class loader that loads classes from `.jar` and `.apk` files containing a `classes.dex` entry. This can be used to execute code not installed as part of an application.

Prior to API level 26, this class loader requires an application-private, writable directory to cache optimized classes. Use `Context.getCodeCacheDir()` to create such a directory:

    File dexOutputDir = context.getCodeCacheDir();

**Do not cache optimized classes on external storage.** External storage does not provide access controls necessary to protect your application from code injection attacks.

## Summary

| ### Public constructors ||
|---|---|
| ` https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#DexClassLoader(java.lang.String,%20java.lang.String,%20java.lang.String,%20java.lang.ClassLoader)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String dexPath, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String optimizedDirectory, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String librarySearchPath, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader parent) ` Creates a `DexClassLoader` that finds interpreted and native code. |

### Inherited methods

From class ` https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/BaseDexClassLoader ` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/BaseDexClassLoader#findClass(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Finds the class with the specified [binary name](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#binary-name).
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/BaseDexClassLoader#findLibrary(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Returns the absolute path name of a native library.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/BaseDexClassLoader#findResource(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Finds the resource with the given name.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/util/Enumeration<https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/BaseDexClassLoader#findResources(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Returns an enumeration of `https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL` objects representing all the resources with the given name.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Package` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/BaseDexClassLoader#getPackage(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

*This method is deprecated. See `https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getPackage(java.lang.String)`*
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/BaseDexClassLoader#toString()() `

Returns a string representation of the object.
From class ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader ` ` void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#clearAssertionStatus()() `

Sets the default assertion status for this class loader to `false` and discards any package defaults or class assertion status settings associated with the class loader.
` final https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#defineClass(java.lang.String,%20byte[],%20int,%20int,%20java.security.ProtectionDomain)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name, byte[] b, int off, int len, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/security/ProtectionDomain protectionDomain) `

Converts an array of bytes into an instance of class `Class`, with a given `ProtectionDomain`.
` final https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#defineClass(java.lang.String,%20java.nio.ByteBuffer,%20java.security.ProtectionDomain)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/nio/ByteBuffer b, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/security/ProtectionDomain protectionDomain) `

Converts a `https://developer.android.com/reference/java/nio/ByteBuffer` into an instance of class `Class`, with the given `ProtectionDomain`.
` final https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#defineClass(byte[],%20int,%20int)(byte[] b, int off, int len) `

*This method was deprecated in API level 15. Replaced by `https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#defineClass(java.lang.String,%20byte[],%20int,%20int)`*
` final https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#defineClass(java.lang.String,%20byte[],%20int,%20int)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name, byte[] b, int off, int len) `

Converts an array of bytes into an instance of class `Class`.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Package` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#definePackage(java.lang.String,%20java.lang.String,%20java.lang.String,%20java.lang.String,%20java.lang.String,%20java.lang.String,%20java.lang.String,%20java.net.URL)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String specTitle, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String specVersion, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String specVendor, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String implTitle, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String implVersion, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String implVendor, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL sealBase) `

Defines a package by [name](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#binary-name) in this `ClassLoader`.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#findClass(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Finds the class with the specified [binary name](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#binary-name).
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#findLibrary(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String libname) `

Returns the absolute path name of a native library.
` final https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#findLoadedClass(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Returns the class with the given [binary name](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#binary-name) if this loader has been recorded by the Java virtual machine as an initiating loader of a class with that [binary name](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#binary-name).
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#findResource(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Finds the resource with the given name.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/util/Enumeration<https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#findResources(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Returns an enumeration of `https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL` objects representing all the resources with the given name.
` final https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#findSystemClass(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Finds a class with the specified [binary name](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#binary-name), loading it if necessary.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Package` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getPackage(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

*This method was deprecated in API level 35. If multiple class loaders delegate to each other and define classes with the same package name, and one such loader relies on the lookup behavior of `getPackage` to return a `Package` from a parent loader, then the properties exposed by the `Package` may not be as expected in the rest of the program. For example, the `Package` will only expose annotations from the `package-info.class` file defined by the parent loader, even if annotations exist in a `package-info.class` file defined by a child loader.*
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Package` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getPackages()() `

Returns all of the `Package`s that have been defined by this class loader and its ancestors.
` final https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getParent()() `

Returns the parent class loader for delegation.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getResource(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Finds the resource with the given name.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/io/InputStream` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getResourceAsStream(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Returns an input stream for reading the specified resource.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/util/Enumeration<https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getResources(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Finds all the resources with the given name.
` static https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getSystemClassLoader()() `

Returns the system class loader.
` static https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getSystemResource(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Find a resource of the specified name from the search path used to load classes.
` static https://developer.android.com/reference/java/io/InputStream` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getSystemResourceAsStream(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Open for reading, a resource of the specified name from the search path used to load classes.
` static https://developer.android.com/reference/java/util/Enumeration<https://developer.android.com/reference/java/net/URL>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#getSystemResources(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Finds all resources of the specified name from the search path used to load classes.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#loadClass(java.lang.String,%20boolean)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name, boolean resolve) `

Loads the class with the specified [binary name](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#binary-name).
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#loadClass(java.lang.String)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String name) `

Loads the class with the specified [binary name](https://developer.android.com/reference/dalvik/system/DexClassLoader#binary-name).
` static boolean` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#registerAsParallelCapable()() `

Registers the caller as `#isRegisteredAsParallelCapable() parallel capable`.
` final void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#resolveClass(java.lang.Class<?>)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?> c) `

Links the specified class.
` void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#setClassAssertionStatus(java.lang.String,%20boolean)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String className, boolean enabled) `

Sets the desired assertion status for the named top-level class in this class loader and any nested classes contained therein.
` void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#setDefaultAssertionStatus(boolean)(boolean enabled) `

Sets the default assertion status for this class loader.
` void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#setPackageAssertionStatus(java.lang.String,%20boolean)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String packageName, boolean enabled) `

Sets the package default assertion status for the named package.
` final void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/ClassLoader#setSigners(java.lang.Class<?>,%20java.lang.Object[])(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?> c, https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object signers) `

Sets the signers of a class.
From class ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object ` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#clone()() `

Creates and returns a copy of this object.
` boolean` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#equals(java.lang.Object)(https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object obj) `

Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this one.
` void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#finalize()() `

Called by the garbage collector on an object when garbage collection determines that there are no more references to the object.
` final https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Class<?>` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#getClass()() `

Returns the runtime class of this `Object`.
` int` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#hashCode()() `

Returns a hash code value for the object.
` final void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#notify()() `

Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on this object's monitor.
` final void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#notifyAll()() `

Wakes up all threads that are waiting on this object's monitor.
` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/String` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#toString()() `

Returns a string representation of the object.
` final void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#wait(long,%20int)(long timeoutMillis, int nanos) `

Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being *notified* or *interrupted*, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
` final void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#wait(long)(long timeoutMillis) `

Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being *notified* or *interrupted*, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
` final void` ` https://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/Object#wait()() `

Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being *notified* or *interrupted*.

## Public constructors

### DexClassLoader

Added in [API level 3](https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/uses-sdk-element#ApiLevels)

```
public DexClassLoader (String dexPath, 
                String optimizedDirectory, 
                String librarySearchPath, 
                ClassLoader parent)
```

Creates a `DexClassLoader` that finds interpreted and native code. Interpreted classes are found in a set of DEX files contained in Jar or APK files.

The path lists are separated using the character specified by the `path.separator` system property, which defaults to `:`.

<br />

| Parameters ||
|---|---|
| `dexPath` | `String`: the list of jar/apk files containing classes and resources, delimited by `File.pathSeparator`, which defaults to `":"` on Android <br /> |
| `optimizedDirectory` | `String`: this parameter is deprecated and has no effect since API level 26. <br /> |
| `librarySearchPath` | `String`: the list of directories containing native libraries, delimited by `File.pathSeparator`; may be `null` <br /> |
| `parent` | `ClassLoader`: the parent class loader <br /> |