A package in programming contains multiple classes and their related components (interfaces and annotations). Similar to a computer folder that contains other folders or files, packages hold subpackages and classes. Packages in programming allow groups of code and data to be named more efficiently and avoid duplicate names, which cause an error message.
It is best to have a specific name for a package to better classify it. First comes the package statement, which indicates in which directory the package belongs, and then the package name. If a user does not define a specific package, it will automatically be saved in the generic default package, which makes it more challenging to locate information and classes within the package. Naming the package is therefore strongly recommended.
In Java, there are two types of packages:
- Built-in packages: these come automatically with Java, such as java.lang. They are basic packages that every Java system has.
- User-defined packages: every other package must be created by programmers or developers.
A website’s package naming system is the reverse of its domain name: org.help.ithelpdesk, for example. This provides clear classification and enables classes to be stored and located within packages more easily.
