Best free Java .class viewer?

matt b picture matt b · Oct 14, 2008 · Viewed 41.3k times · Source

I've used DJ Java Decompiler, which has a handy GUI, but it seems as if the latest version is only a trial and forces you to purchase the software after some period of days (I recall using an earlier free version about a year ago at a previous job).

I'm aware of Jad and Jadclipse, but what I loved about DJ Java Decompiler was that it integrated with Windows Explorer - so I could simply open up a JAR in something like WinRAR, navigate thru the packages, and double-click on a .class file to view it's decompiled source.

Can anyone suggest other good, free, .class viewers? The criteria I have in mind for these would be:

  • GUI-based
  • Integrates to Windows Explorer (so I don't have to run some command-line options like with JAD)
  • optional - can also show raw JVM bytecode commands

In other words - I'd like to find the closest thing to .NET Reflector for Java as possible.

Answer

Emmanuel Dupuy picture Emmanuel Dupuy · Dec 19, 2008

JAD is one of the best Java Decompiler today. This is one brilliant piece of software. Nevertheless, the last JDK supported by JAD 1.5.8 (Apr 14, 2001) is JDK 1.3.

DJ Java Decompiler, JadClipse, Cavaj and JarInspector are powered by Jad. The last version of Decafe Pro has been released on 2002-01-03.

These viewers can not display Java 5 sources.

So, I use JD-GUI : logic, I'm the author :)