ClassForName.md

Pattern: Use of Class.forName()

Issue: -

Description

Using Class.forName(...) is a common way to add dynamic behavior to a system. However, using this method can cause resource leaks because the classes can be pinned in memory for long periods of time. If you're forced to do dynamic class loading then use ClassLoader.loadClass instead. All variations of the Class.forName(...) method suffer from the same problem.

Example of violations:

Class.forName('SomeClassName')
Class.forName(aClassName, true, aClassLoader)

Further Reading

• The Programming Delusion - Class.forName caches defined class in the initiating class loader
• CodeNarc - ClassForName