Public Java Class or Jar

I'm looking to create a universal logging file for all of my companies Java applications. I've done something similiar in开发者_运维问答 C++, where you simply import the file.

My question is, what is the most effective/efficent way to create a public Java file (basically what do you create it as, and then how do you reference it)? I'm assuming its by importing your own class or jar? Thanks!

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It's not really clear what you mean, but it sounds like you're trying to create a library to be used by multiple applications.

I'd suggest that the other projects should simply refer to it as a jar file - whether they build that jar file from source or fetch one from some company-wide repository which is updated when the logging code changes is up to you. From the application code, you'd just import it as any other class - whether the class is found in a jar file or as a .java file is irrelevant in the consuming Java source code.

It's worth noting that there are already many other logging APIs for Java - I would think very carefully before you create a new one.

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In Java you don't import the file you import the class. The class that is imported is either in a compiled .class file or packaged in a .jar file. By convention, package your logger utilities in a .jar and distribute that.

You import the class by name regardless if it's yet to be compiled from a source file or already packaged in a .jar.