What is the difference about two getResourceAsStream()?

Question

I found a strange thing about getResourceAsStream(). This is my code:
package pkg;
class Test1 {
private static final String absName = "/WEB-INF/database.properties";
public static void main( String[] args ) throws Exception {
ClassLoader loader = testClassLoader.class.getClassLoader();
System.out.println( "classloader: " + loader );
System.out.println( loader.getResourceAsStream( absName ) );
Class c = Class.forName( "pkg.Test1" );
System.out.println( "classloader : " + c.getClassLoader() );
System.out.println( c.getResourceAsStream( absName ) );
The output is:
classloader: sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader@7d8483
null
classloader : sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader@7d8483
java.io.BufferedInputStream@129206
But after I remove the first slash "/", absName = "WEB-INF/database.properties";
The output is:
classloader: sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader@7d8483
java.io.BufferedInputStream@3169f8
classloader : sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader@7d8483
null
I am confused with the results. Anyone help? Thanks in advance.
Paula

Answer 1

Just in case no one has answered this question for you.
The difference is with the way the file Paths are handled.
The first filepath is telling the method to start at the root level of your directory tree and look for a directory called "WEB-INF". More than likely you do not have this directory at your root level.
When you remove the leading slash, you are telling the method to search your classpaths and find a directory called "WEB-INF". This is most likely the case.