Is there a good java API for manipulating RAR archive files someone could recommend? Googling did not turn up anything overwhelmingly convincing.
RAR is a proprietary archive file format. RAR license does not allow to include it into software development tools like Java SDK. The best way to unrar your files will be using 3rd party libraries such as junrar.
A resource adapter archive (RAR) is a Java™ archive (JAR) file used to package a resource adapter for the Connector Architecture for WebSphere® Application Server.
You could try JUnRar, "a RAR handling API implemented in pure Java" (quoting the site).
There is also this fork from SF(@Fabian's answer and this one are forked from an old SF project):
https://github.com/jukka/java-unrar
I think this will help you.
raroscope
A pure Java library for scanning and enumerating RAR archive contents
If you love us? You can donate to us via Paypal or buy me a coffee so we can maintain and grow! Thank you!
Donate Us With