User Guide

392 Chapter 21 Building Custom CFXAPI Tags
The classes directory created by the ColdFusion setup program serves two
purposes:
• It contains the supporting classes required for developing and deploying Java
CFXs. This is the
com.allaire.cfx package located in the cfx.jar archive.
• It supports a feature that allows Java CFXs located in the directory to be reloaded
every time they are changed. Although this is not the default behavior for other
Java classes, this behavior is very useful during an iterative development and
testing cycle.
When you create new Java CFXs, you should develop and deploy them in the
classes directory. Following this guideline will dramatically simplify your
development, debugging, and testing processes.
Once you are finished with development and testing, you can then deploy your Java
CFX anywhere on the class path visible to the ColdFusion embedded JVM. See
“Customizing and Configuring Java” for more details on customizing the class path.
Customizing and Configuring Java
You use the JVM and Java Settings page on the ColdFusion Administrator Server tab
to customize your Java development environment, such as by customizing the class
path and Java system properties, or specifying an alternate Java Virtual Machine
(JVM).