How can I execute a .jar file from the terminal

Question

I know that to execute a file, I use the . command, then the file name with a space between them. But I'm trying to execute a Java .jar file using the . and it does not work. I went into the properties and marked it as executable and made it run with Java.

Is there a way to execute a file with Java in the bash Terminal?

jonathan@ubuntu:~/Desktop$ . Minecraft.jar
bash: .: Minecraft.jar: cannot execute binary file

I am trying to execute the Minecraft.jar file.

Hello and welcome, jaorizabal. I slightly corrected your question. Maybe you can install a spell checker for your browser, to improve the next question yourself. Another hint: For text issues, you may mark text with your mouse in the terminal, and then paste it into the edit field of your browser (and elsewhere) with a middle click on the scroll wheel. Then you can layout your code with the buttons at the edit field. This is much faster than taking a screen shot, and uploading it. — user unknown, Feb 06 '12 at 01:55

Jeremy Kerr · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-06T09:41:44.177

313

The . syntax can only be used to run (by "sourcing") shell scripts.

You'll need to use the java command to run a .jar file:

java -jar Minecraft.jar

If you don't have java installed, you can fix that by installing the default-jre¹ package. You can see if you already have java installed by running in a terminal:

java -version

[1]: This will install the default openjdk Java runtime. You can use openjdk-8-jre, or openjdk-7-jre, or openjdk-6-jre instead, if you prefer - whichever is available on your version of Ubuntu.

edited Feb 06 '17 at 09:41

answered Feb 06 '12 at 01:40

Jeremy Kerr

27,879

$ java -jar schemaSpy_5.0.0.jar *** Required parameter '-o' was not specified. *** – Karthik T May 13 '14 at 04:31

David · Answer 2 · 2025-01-10T17:37:48.697

45

Linux is perfectly capable of running a foreign binary, like a JAR file. This is how Wine works, for example. To run JAR files as executable first make sure you have Java installed, then do the following in a console:

Install binfmt-support Support for extra binary formats:

The binfmt_misc kernel module, contained in versions 2.1.43 and later of the Linux kernel, allows system administrators to register interpreters for various binary formats based on a magic number or their file extension, and cause the appropriate interpreter to be invoked whenever a matching file is executed. Think of it as a more flexible version of the #! executable interpreter mechanism.
```
sudo apt-get install binfmt-support
```
cd to your JAR file and change it to executable (you can also do this through file properties in Nautilus)
```
chmod a+rx myjar.jar
```
Run your jar file just as if it was any other binary executable or shell script
```
./myjar.jar
```

Note: Be sure you have binfmt_misc Linux kernel module loaded. If you use your custom compiled kernel without this module, binfmt-support won't work.

edited Jan 10 '25 at 17:37

answered May 06 '13 at 14:02

David

731

1

Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for. It's better than using java -jar because it doesn't require the host program to know that it is a java program, and it's better than using a script because you don't have to worry about passing through STDIN and OUT. – srlm Dec 06 '13 at 05:34
4

Doesn't work on Debian 9: "invalid file (bad magic number): Exec format error" – Paul Aug 29 '17 at 21:52
be careful this conflicts with cosmopolitancc – Rainb Apr 14 '24 at 17:57
For you, it is obvious that you have to have Java installed to run a jar file. It wasn't obvious for me... As you said "Linux is perfectly capable of running a foreign binary, like a JAR file", I thought that I didn't have to have Java installed. Now, I understand it. Maybe it doesn't hurt to say it. Anyway, thanks for the tip. – Mario Mey Oct 07 '24 at 18:50

user unknown · Answer 3 · 2012-02-06T01:48:12.070

If it is an executable jar, then

java -jar Minecraft.jar

Not all jar-Archives contain an executable class, declared to be started in the Manifest file, but if there is, this will work.

Btw.: You don't start most programs from the shell with the dot. The dot is a shortcut for source, and it only works in the bash and some other shells, to include a script in the scope of the current session.

A compiled binary xybin is simply started with its name if it is in the path:

xybin

or, with its absolute path:

/home/foo/proj/test/xybin

or with its relative path:

proj/test/xybin

or if you happen to be in the directory of the file, with this relative path:

./xybin

The file has to be marked executable for you (see: chmod). All of the above is true for shellscripts too, but they often have an extension .sh, and you can start a shellscript by invoking the interpreter, and then it needn't be marked executable:

 bash xy.sh

If you don't want to start a new bash, you can use source, and you do so, to consume function definitions, aliases and variable settings.

score 9 · Answer 4 · answered May 06 '13 at 14:21

You might as well want to make a nice entry for the application in Unity. execute the following commands:

gedit ~/.local/share/applications/minecraft.desktop

In the window that pops up, copy and paste the following:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Minecraft
Comment=Click here to play Minecraft
Exec=java -jar /path/to/minecraft.jar
Icon=/path/to/minecraft/icon.png
Terminal=false
Categories=Game;

You might need to log out and back in to see the effects. :) Also you need to search the internet for a nice lookin Minecraft icon since they don't provide one with the download..

score 6 · Answer 5 · edited Dec 17 '17 at 01:22

6

Install jarwrapper. After that (and by adding the executable bit) you can start the jar file just by entering the jarfile name.

sudo apt-get install jarwrapper

This works by using binfmt to add support for a new binary format to the kernel.

edited Dec 17 '17 at 01:22

muru

207,970

answered Nov 19 '17 at 11:23

Thomas Covenant

79
1
4

score 5 · Answer 6 · edited Oct 14 '15 at 14:07

5

Open a command prompt with CTRL+ALT+T
Go to your ".jar" file directory. If your Ubuntu version / flavour supports it, you should be able to right click on your ".jar" file's directory and click "Open in Terminal"
Type the following command:
```
java -jar jarfilename.jar
```

This way your ".jar" file will execute.

edited Oct 14 '15 at 14:07

kos

41,378

answered Oct 14 '15 at 13:15

viper

163

score 3 · Answer 7 · answered Nov 28 '15 at 10:14

3

 java -jar /home/username/.minecraft/launcher.jar

answered Nov 28 '15 at 10:14

antichrist

31

Derlin · Answer 8 · 2023-09-07T12:27:10.143

New answer to an old question

Executing a jar file using the regular syntax ./app.jar (instead of java -jar), is easy to achieve, as explained here: how to create executable jars.

Basically, JAR is a variant of ZIP, which allows random bytes to be pre/appended to the JAR without corrupting it. This means it is possible to prepend a launcher script at the beginning of the jar to make it "executable".

Here is a simple example of turning a "normal" jar into an executable one:

# Append a basic launcher script to the jar
cat \
  <(echo '#!/bin/sh')\
  <(echo 'exec java -jar $0 "$@"')\
  <(echo 'exit 0')\
  original.jar > executable.jar

Make the new jar executable
chmod +x executable.jar

With this, you can now run ./executable.jar instead of java -jar original.jar. This works on all unix like systems including Linux, MacOS, Cygwin, and Windows Linux subsystem.

score -2 · Answer 9 · answered Jan 12 '17 at 06:37

-2

if u want to install your jar with specific java version Specify the java directory also

/scratch/app/product/Software/jdk1.8.0_112/bin/java -jar /path-to-jar/Minecraft.jar

answered Jan 12 '17 at 06:37

Rohan Gala

97

How can I execute a .jar file from the terminal

9 Answers9

Make the new jar executable