Class Viewer for Java Class Viewer Blog

Well now in 2025 and am still evaluating open source AI models for development though really think will be DeepSeek. And am in no rush. Is exciting though how much easier it should be to modernize project now. Will update if anything changes. Glad for continuing downloads. And figure yeah can even use as a small project for playing around with code AI as is.

Research out loud; is not about faith in the crowd.

Is about resonance and wisdom heard in the echoes.

Like a song well sung: ideas well spun, weave tapestries can astound.

Publicly, reveals value widely; understood becomes capability manifest.

Who returns value? Valuable people into quality, and conscience. Refined by maturity.

Sing ideas in strength revealed? Humanity reveal.

Put up a little app here on SourceForge twenty years ago with some trepidation. Had no clue what if anything would happen. For some time did not seem like much notable did. But downloads though small were from all over the world.
Have not developed for a few years where am glad for pause. Recommend using base which is old to help learning AI coding tools where can practice updating for your personal needs. Who knows? Maybe...I do not do vaporware. But am definitely still here with my little project.

Still here as developer and am very much fascinated by continuing rise of code AI. Which means yeah can potentially do a much more substantial update. But yeah also can use current as a base for personalizing for yourself. And will note Class Viewer for Java will be 20 years old this year. Yay! Still getting downloads. Cool! And yeah is still supported though haven't been in a position to update since 2021. But hey can still get it to work.

Feel much better now about my strategy here with Class Viewer with now 19 years of being hosted on SourceForge and am still able to support! As requires very little as I wrote it worried about support as knew that could take a lot. But also wanted a minimal software tool that just did a few things I really wanted to be able to do as a coder.

Going minimal with focus on functionality is just smarter I know especially now and machine intelligence tools have arrived! And I still am ok with my project! Is so wild. But yeah also can suggest using to do personalized updates for yourself. Oh and yeah code is not meant to be pretty. Started as a way to help me study for Java Certification so was never really planned. I just was like thinking to myself later what I had might make an open source tool.

When put my app on SourceForge February 2004 had vague ideas about what might happen. None of which occurred. What did happen was rapid and quiet global usage. Would be years though until SourceForge gave country stats so I just had downloads to consider which might be like 9 on a good day. But app was simple enough that I had no reason not to support it.

That simplicity I think revealed how open source can be used to build a global footprint with basic tools that are just useful. Is a great incentive! To focus on something that fits a developer need as simply as possible that is open and focus much on GUI as that is where people will really appreciate some thought.... read more

Woo hoo! After over 18 years here on SourceForge got some badges! Is an opportunity to note am still here supporting project. Luckily came up with a very lightweight easily maintained project that invites you to modify yourself as needed. So after nearly two decades it just keeps chugging along.

Thanks for the downloads that got some badges. Again got Community Choice and Community Leader and only took 18 years.

Feel should note that my app is still being supported. Still no software updates scheduled and am glad Class Viewer is so close to the Java language. If having problems, sorry. Have been focused elsewhere and recommend developers just make code changes as needed. It really is a tiny app. Eventually still plan on getting active with checking it against latest Java. But have no idea when. So this post is just to let know am still here as project admin and still supporting.

Definitely feel a need to post a blog update here and there so Java developers know am still active with Class Viewer for Java. This year definitely took a bigger mental break from project than have in the past, and do not regret it. Has been such a weird and trying year. But hopefully next year will get back at it.

Downloads still continue from a lot of the world, thank you! Were from 78 countries this year so far with only 4 full days left until 2020 is over. My project is over 16 years old now and am grateful still can be useful.

A bit longer of a pause than I expected. Code is still maintained though. Eventually plan on getting back to active development as needed. But is a very lightweight app with most of the code written 2004 or before. So yeah may seem archaic if dig into source. But I'm like, still works. Changing? Why not? Personalizing is cool. And my later updates may not impact. Is a tiny app really. Great for me for easy maintenance and great for others for quick and easy personalization.

Realized that open code is just part of open source as a concept. And is a way in and of itself to own your own code.

Now am like: open source gave me unending ownership of my Class Viewer code. The open code reality though makes that real.

Is over 16 years now since put Class Viewer on SourceForge and have learned to appreciate benefit of that action.

When do code, even when looking to update it, find I use it. Which is necessary as need to refresh.

Point is: benefit to me is having a tool more polished than if had not shared. Which greatly helped my perspective.

Open does NOT mean can just be used without rules. And occurred to me could be like with software same is for songs. Talk that perspective on my blog Beyond Mundane, which helps support Class Viewer project.
Writing: coding and songwriting considered

One feature really like with Class Viewer got by accident, which is how displays inherited methods when deliberately are searching for them.

Going to copy from relevant post on my blog Beyond Mundane which discusses:

...the way to search through inherited methods as to do that you have to type a search string into the "Search String" box, and hit Enter.

And here is an example of output also copying from that post:

...methods from the superclass since Panel doesn't have any, and here's an example:

void Container.remove(Component)... read more

Am excited about the new changes for Java heard were introduced while have been waiting for stability and busy with many things. But readily admit am very much into modular. And can imagine lots of coding which would be more stable with rapid development if were using modular code well tested.

And open source is just so brilliant. Yeah just have one open source project but when I put on SourceForge back February 2004, had no clue how things would go. And would not have imagined project would still be downloaded here, over 15 years later, with me only doing limited development--as necessary.... read more

As of February 25th Class Viewer is 15 years on SourceForge. Up until today, there have been 49345 downloads from 169 countries, according to SourceForge stats.

The top 10 are: US, India, Germany, UK, Canada, Russia, China, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, and France, in that order.

Thank you to those who have downloaded. And Class Viewer is still supported as I make sure here and there is still working with current Java. And ponder at times what more might be added. But yeah, can go for YEARS without more, as I don't make changes, just to keep iterating.... read more

Was originally on my G+ account which is going away, dated March 17, 2018. Decided would copy and paste to here. ___JSH

One thing helped me out is focusing on time, when it comes to money, like we usually get a job on what we promise we CAN do, where showing up of course is one of the basic things. While we can gain attention on what have DONE like for me with my open source project.

So open source can be a great way still to get attention, if people find useful, without being connected to ANY money. Though presumably might help when making assertions to potential employers about what you CAN DO for them.... read more

With 2018 finally over, some stats for Class Viewer for the year.

Class Viewer according to SourceForge stats had 1928 downloads from 105 countries.

Top 5: US, India, China, Germany, UK

Fewest 5: Macedonia, Latvia, Armenia, Ireland, Qatar

Where admit am always more impressed with the global reach than anything else.

Coming to the end of the year and have decided there will be no update to Class Viewer this year. But am still doing useability checks as Java has definitely been getting much done with IT and I want to be sure app still has all its features. Going to the app for this post, went to Command and Display Java version, and got: Java version 11.0.1

That was in the Results Window and I highlighted and hit the right button to copy. Where really like that pop-up that tells me for SURE something happened. As coded it that way deliberately. I like to know that the copy happened--for sure. So that feature still works. And went to Command on the menu again and increased font size a couple of times. And yeah then I end up manually resizing. Really felt like letting people increase font size was most important thing with details to ponder later as to what more might do.... read more

Is an arbitrary thing but is important to me that there were downloads from 100 countries so far this year, according to SourceForge stats so noting it. Is a reminder to me that there are people out there using, all over the world, and yes am still thinking about development. Open source enables a certain kind of cool thing of global appeal with something. Is great to have something with it.

Will note that MOST downloads are from the US, with 17% of all. The top 5 countries for downloads so far this year are:... read more

Am excited about recent moves by the Java language, but also am wary of making changes to my app Class Viewer before they are necessary. And for now is still focused on Java 8. However, it probably will work with later Java versions as is so close to the underlying Java language itself, and also can make easy changes to ClassViewerConfig.xml which is a feature I like, that ease of change. BUT, am not currently checking.... read more

Sometimes do wonder how much should focus attention on things share elsewhere. Here do think people mainly just want information relevant to decision to download app or not. And decided some links to things elsewhere might be relevant. Maybe not. But if curious you can get much of my philosophy on open source with post made today on my G+ in a Collection for open source.... read more

Next month will be 14 years since put Class Viewer on SourceForge and thinking may mark occasion then, but now bit early will do some quick notes. And what happened was studying for Java Certifications exam, and was working on Java Reflections with some test programs. And wondered, why not expand them out just a bit? Which I did, and talked to some other coders about what I had, and someone mentioned SourceForge. And I was like, what's SourceForge?... read more

Noting for myself as well as of course people can see in general SourceForge looks much different today! And I think is great. And for users of Class Viewer--am still developing. Project is definitely still active. Just on a pause now for multiple reasons.

But looking at the new look for SourceForge itself does make me feel better. Have a single developer project which can take years between updates but do like having it, and maintaining. ... read more