What are components of Apache POI Java Library? Which POI JAR file should I use for a specific component?

Apache POI Java library is divided into multiple components to support various types of file formats in Microsoft Office Open XML (OOXML) and OLE 2 Compound Document (OLE2) standards.

Since Apache POI Java library have a large number of classes, its classes are also archived into multiple JAR files to make the distribution process easier.

If you are only interested in a single component of the Apache POI library for a specific file format, you can use the following component to JAR file mapping list to figure out which JAR file you needed.

• POIFS component - poi.jar: POIFS (Poor Obfuscation Implementation File System) component reads and writes Microsoft's OLE 2 Compound document format. Since all Microsoft Office files are OLE 2 files, this component is the basic building block of all the other POI components.
• HPSF component - poi.jar: HPSF (Horrible Property Set Format) component reads "Document Summary" information from Microsoft Office files. This is essentially the information that one can see by using the File > Properties menu item within an Office application.
• HSSF component - poi.jar: HSSF (Horrible SpreadSheet Format) component reads and writes Microsoft Excel (*.XLS) format files. It can read files written by Excel 97 onwards; this file format is known as the BIFF 8 format. As the Excel file format is complex and contains a number of tricky characteristics, some of the more advanced features cannot be read.
• HSLF component - poi-scratchpad.jar: HSLF (Horrible Slide Layout Format) component – a pure Java implementation for Microsoft PowerPoint (*.PPT) files. This provides the ability to read, create and edit presentations (though some things are easier to do than others)
• HWPF component - poi-scratchpad.jar: HWPF (Horrible Word Processor Format) component aims to read and write Microsoft Word 97 (*.DOC) format files. This component is in initial stages of development.
• HDGF component - poi-scratchpad.jar: HDGF (Horrible DiaGram Format) component – an initial pure Java implementation for Microsoft Visio (*.VSD) binary files. It provides an ability to read the low level contents of the files.
• HPBF component - poi-scratchpad.jar: HPBF (Horrible PuBlisher Format) component – a pure Java implementation for Microsoft Publisher (*.PUB) files.
• HSMF component - poi-scratchpad.jar: HSMF (Horrible Stupid Mail Format) – a pure Java implementation for Microsoft Outlook (*.MSG) files.
• HWMF component - poi-scratchpad.jar: HWMF (Horrible Windows Metafile) component – a pure Java implementation for Microsoft Metafile (*.WMF) drawing files.
• DDF component - poi.jar: DDF (Dreadful Drawing Format) component – a package for decoding the Microsoft Office Drawing format.
• OpenXML4J component - poi-ooxml.jar, poi-ooxml-schemas.jar, and ooxml-security.jar: OpenXML4J component – a pure Java implementation for Office Open XML files
• XSSF component - poi-ooxml.jar: XSSF (OpenXML SpreadSheet Format) component – a pure Java implementation for Microsoft Excel (*.XLSX) files
• XSLF component - poi-ooxml.jar: XSLF (OpenXML Slide Layout Format) component – a pure Java implementation for Microsoft PowerPoint (*.PPTX) files
• XWPF component - poi-ooxml.jar: XWPF (OpenXML Word Processor Format) component – a pure Java implementation for Microsoft Word (*.DOCX) files
• XDGF component - poi-ooxml.jar: XDGF (OpenXML DiaGram Format) component – a pure Java implementation for Microsoft Visio (*.VSDX) files
• Common SL component - poi-scratchpad.jar and poi-ooxml.jar: Common SL component provides classes to support PowerPoint (*.PPT) and (*.PPTX) files.
• Common SS component - poi-ooxml.jar: Common SL component provides classes to support Excel (*.XLS) and (*.XLSX) files.

⇒ JAR File Dependencies of Apache POI Java Library

⇐ What Is Apache POI Java Library?

⇑ Downloading and Installing Apache POI Java Library

⇑⇑ FAQ for Apache POI (Poor Obfuscation Implementation)