A Guide To Java Source and Target Options

A Guide to Java Source and Target Options

The Java compiler has several options that specify the version of the Java programming language that you are using, as well as the version of the generated class files. These are referred to as the source and target options. This guide will walk you through what these options mean, why they’re important, and how to set them.

What Are Source and Target Options?

The source and target options refer to the versions of Java that are being used when compiling a program. Different versions of Java have different features, such as new APIs, syntax changes, and other features. The source option tells the compiler which version of Java you are writing your program in. The target option tells the compiler which version of Java you want the compiled class files to be compatible with.

Why Are Source and Target Options Important?

It’s important to use the appropriate source and target options when compiling a program because not all code written in a certain version of Java will run on all versions of Java. For example, code written in Java 8 may not be compatible with earlier versions of Java. Therefore, if you want your code to be compatible with earlier versions of Java, you need to set the target option to the appropriate version.

How Do I Set the Source and Target Options?

The source and target options can be set using the -source and -target command line arguments. For example, to compile a program written in Java 8 and target it to an earlier version of Java, such as Java 7, you would type:

$ javac -source 1.8 -target 1.7 MyClass.java

You can also set the source and target options in the build.xml file, which is used by many build tools such as Apache Ant or Gradle. In this case, you would add the following lines:

<javac source="1.8" target="1.7"/>

Conclusion

The source and target options are important for ensuring that your code is compatible with the versions of Java that you want it to be. Once you understand what the source and target options mean, setting them is a simple task. With the above information, you should now be able to set the source and target options in your Java programs.