why -cp -classpath

[prateek urmaliya]

OK -cp is a convenient one but why -classpath ?
Is there any reason behind two options that do the same thing?
For java

 -cp <class search path of directories and zip/jar files>
 -classpath <class search path of directories and zip/jar files>
               A ; separated list of directories, JAR archives,
               and ZIP archives to search for class files.

For javac

    
 -classpath <path>          Specify where to find user class files
 -cp <path>                 Specify where to find user class files

Also why javac is not consistent with -cp according to K&B

Finally, the java command allows you to abbreviate -classpath with -cp. The
Java documentation is inconsistent about whether the javac command allows the
-cp abbreviation. On most machines it does, but there are no guarantees.

the problem indeed is the choice itself

[Jesper de Jong]

I think the only reason why the "-cp" option exists is so that you don't have to type the whole long word "-classpath". So it's just for convenience. There are many command-line programs (especially on Unix) that work the same way; they have a short and a long version of the same option.

[Chris Stann]

-cp is an abbreviation of -classpath.