There are two ways to model a file or a path on a file system in Java. File class is mentioned here, with a word of warning. You should favor the use of the Path interface, along with the factory method from the Files.
An instance of the File class can represent anything on a file system: a file, a directory, a symbolic link, a relative path, or an absolute path.
An instance of a File does not allow you to access the content of the file it represents. With this instance, you can check if this file exists or is readable (among other things).