Java Error Messages Tutor
cannot find symbol - class


Error:

    cannot find symbol
    symbol  :  class
<class name>

Explanation:

You are using a class name that the compiler doesn't recognize.

Checklist:

  • Have you imported the class named in the message?

  • Is the class name spelled correctly? Check for typos, including capitalization. Remember that classes in the Java class library begin with a capital letter.

Example:

With the following statements in a source file named Input.java:

1 /* Input class */
2
3 public class Input
4 {
5   public static void main( String [] args )
6   {
7     Scanner scan = new Scanner( System.in );
      // more code here

the Java compiler would generate the following errors:

Input.java:7: cannot find symbol
symbol : class Scanner
Scanner scan = new Scanner( System.in );
^

Input.java:7: cannot find symbol
symbol : class Scanner
Scanner scan = new Scanner( System.in );
                   ^

The problem is that the Scanner class (which is in the java.util package) has not been imported. To solve the problem, change line 2 to read:

import java.util.Scanner;

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