How to close AWT Window in Java

We can close the AWT Window or Frame by calling dispose() or System.exit() inside windowClosing() method. The windowClosing() method is found in WindowListener interface and WindowAdapter class.

The WindowAdapter class implements WindowListener interfaces. It provides the default implementation of all the 7 methods of WindowListener interface. To override the windowClosing() method, you can either use WindowAdapter class or WindowListener interface.

If you implement the WindowListener interface, you will be forced to override all the 7 methods of WindowListener interface. So it is better to use WindowAdapter class.

Different ways to override windowClosing() method

There are many ways to override windowClosing() method:

By anonymous class
By inheriting WindowAdapter class
By implementing WindowListener interface

Close AWT Window Example 1: Anonymous class

In the following example, we are implementing the windowClosing() method of Window using the Anonymous class

WindowExample.java

// importing necessary awt libraries 
import java.awt.*;  
import java.awt.event.WindowEvent;  
import java.awt.event.WindowListener;  

// class which inherits the Frame class
public class WindowExample extends Frame {  
// class constructor
    WindowExample() {  
// adding WindowListener to the Frame
// and using the windowClosing() method of WindowAdapter class
        addWindowListener (new WindowAdapter() {  
            public void windowClosing (WindowEvent e) {  
                dispose();  
            }  
        });  
// setting the size, layout and visibility of frame
        setSize (400, 400);  
        setLayout (null);  
        setVisible (true);  
    }  
// main method
public static void main (String[] args) {  
    new WindowExample();  
}  

Output:

Close AWT Window Example 2: extending WindowAdapter

In the following example, we are implementing the window closing functionality using the WindowAdapter class.

AdapterExample.java

// importing the necessary libraries
import java.awt.*;  
import java.awt.event.*;  

// class which inherits the WindowAdapter class
public class AdapterExample extends WindowAdapter {  
// object of Frame
    Frame f;  
// class constructor
    AdapterExample() {  
// creating the frame
        f = new Frame();  
// adding  WindowListener to the frame
        f.addWindowListener (this);  
      
// setting the size, layout and visibility of frame
        f.setSize (400, 400);  
        f.setLayout (null);  
        f.setVisible (true);  
    }  

// overriding the windowClosing() method 
public void windowClosing (WindowEvent e) {  
    f.dispose();  
}  
// main method
public static void main(String[] args) {  
    new AdapterExample();  
}  
}  

Close AWT Window Example 3: implementing WindowListener

In the following example, we are implementing the WindowListener interface to display the functionality of closing the AWT Window.

WindowExample.java

// importing the necessary libraries
import java.awt.*;  
import java.awt.event.WindowEvent;  
import java.awt.event.WindowListener;  

// class which inherits Frame class and implement the WindowListener interface
public class WindowExample extends Frame implements WindowListener {  
// constructor
    WindowExample() {  
// adding WindowListener to frame
        addWindowListener(this);  
   
// setting the size, layout and visibility of frame
        setSize(400,400);  
        setLayout(null);  
        setVisible(true);  
    }  
      
// main method
public static void main(String[] args) {  
    new WindowExample();  
}  
public void windowActivated(WindowEvent e) {}  
public void windowClosed(WindowEvent e) {}  
public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) {  
    dispose();  
}  
public void windowDeactivated(WindowEvent e) {}  
public void windowDeiconified(WindowEvent e) {}  
public void windowIconified(WindowEvent e) {}  
public void windowOpened(WindowEvent arg0) {}  
}  

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