src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/ClassLoader.java

@@ -1679,10 +1679,19 @@
      * @implNote The system property to override the system class loader is not
      * examined until the VM is almost fully initialized. Code that executes
      * this method during startup should take care not to cache the return
      * value until the system is fully initialized.
      *
+     * <p> The class path used by the built-in system class loader is determined
+     * by the system property "{@code java.class.path}" during early
+     * initialization of the VM. If the system property is not defined,
+     * or its value is an empty string, then there is no class path
+     * when the initial module is a module on the application module path,
+     * i.e. <em>a named module</em>. If the initial module is not on
+     * the application module path then the class path defaults to
+     * the current working directory.
+     *
      * @return  The system <tt>ClassLoader</tt> for delegation
      *
      * @throws  SecurityException
      *          If a security manager is present, and the caller's class loader
      *          is not {@code null} and is not the same as or an ancestor of the