org.codehaus.groovy.tools

## Class RootLoader

- java.lang.Object
- - java.lang.ClassLoader
  - - java.security.SecureClassLoader
    - - java.net.URLClassLoader
      - - org.codehaus.groovy.tools.RootLoader

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    java.io.Closeable, java.lang.AutoCloseable

      public class RootLoader
      extends java.net.URLClassLoader

  This ClassLoader should be used as root of class loaders. Any RootLoader does have it's own classpath. When searching for a class or resource this classpath will be used. Parent Classloaders are ignored first. If a class or resource can't be found in the classpath of the RootLoader, then parent is checked.

  Note: this is very against the normal behavior of classloaders. Normal is to first check parent and then look in the resources you gave this classloader.

  It's possible to add urls to the classpath at runtime through addURL(URL)

  Why using RootLoader? If you have to load classes with multiple classloaders and a classloader does know a class which depends on a class only a child of this loader does know, then you won't be able to load the class. To load the class the child is not allowed to redirect it's search for the class to the parent first. That way the child can load the class. If the child does not have all classes to do this, this fails of course.

  For example:

             parentLoader   (has classpath: a.jar;c.jar)
                 |
                 |
             childLoader    (has classpath: a.jar;b.jar;c.jar)

  class C (from c.jar) extends B (from b.jar) childLoader.find("C") --> parentLoader does know C.class, try to load it --> to load C.class it has to load B.class --> parentLoader is unable to find B.class in a.jar or c.jar --> NoClassDefFoundException! if childLoader had tried to load the class by itself, there would be no problem. Changing childLoader to be a RootLoader instance will solve that problem.

- - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Constructor and Description
    `RootLoader(LoaderConfiguration lc)` constructs a new RootLoader with a `LoaderConfiguration` object which holds the classpath
    `RootLoader(java.net.URL[] urls, java.lang.ClassLoader parent)` constructs a new RootLoader with a parent loader and an array of URLs as classpath

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `void` | `addURL(java.net.URL url)` adds an url to the classpath of this classloader
    `protected java.lang.Class` | `findClass(java.lang.String name)`
    `java.net.URL` | `getResource(java.lang.String name)` returns the URL of a resource, or null if it is not found
    `protected java.lang.Class` | `loadClass(java.lang.String name, boolean resolve)` loads a class using the name of the class

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.net.URLClassLoader

      `close, definePackage, findResource, findResources, getPermissions, getResourceAsStream, getURLs, newInstance, newInstance`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.security.SecureClassLoader

      `defineClass, defineClass`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.ClassLoader

      `clearAssertionStatus, defineClass, defineClass, defineClass, defineClass, definePackage, findLibrary, findLoadedClass, findSystemClass, getClassLoadingLock, getPackage, getPackages, getParent, getResources, getSystemClassLoader, getSystemResource, getSystemResourceAsStream, getSystemResources, loadClass, registerAsParallelCapable, resolveClass, setClassAssertionStatus, setDefaultAssertionStatus, setPackageAssertionStatus, setSigners`

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

- - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### RootLoader

          public RootLoader(java.net.URL[] urls,
                            java.lang.ClassLoader parent)

      constructs a new RootLoader with a parent loader and an array of URLs as classpath

    - #### RootLoader

          public RootLoader(LoaderConfiguration lc)

      constructs a new RootLoader with a `LoaderConfiguration` object which holds the classpath

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### loadClass

          protected java.lang.Class loadClass(java.lang.String name,
                                              boolean resolve)
                                       throws java.lang.ClassNotFoundException

      loads a class using the name of the class
      Overrides:
        `loadClass` in class `java.lang.ClassLoader`
      Throws:
        `java.lang.ClassNotFoundException`

    - #### getResource

          public java.net.URL getResource(java.lang.String name)

      returns the URL of a resource, or null if it is not found
      Overrides:
        `getResource` in class `java.lang.ClassLoader`

    - #### addURL

          public void addURL(java.net.URL url)

      adds an url to the classpath of this classloader
      Overrides:
        `addURL` in class `java.net.URLClassLoader`

    - #### findClass

          protected java.lang.Class findClass(java.lang.String name)
                                       throws java.lang.ClassNotFoundException

      Overrides:
        `findClass` in class `java.net.URLClassLoader`
      Throws:
        `java.lang.ClassNotFoundException`