Check if class exists in Java classpath without running its static initializer?

Question

If I use

   try {       Class.forName("my.package.Foo");       // it exists on the classpath    } catch(ClassNotFoundException e) {       // it does not exist on the classpath    } 

the static initializer block of "Foo" is kicked off. Is there a way to determine whether a class "my.package.Foo" is on the classpath without kicking off its static initializer?

Answer 1

Try the forName(String name, boolean initialize, ClassLoader loader) method of Class and set the param initialize to false.

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