This guide describes the basic concepts for deploying feature rich Java applications using Java Web Start.

Java Web Start enables applications to be deployed quickly and easily launched from a web server. Once launched using Web Start, an application can subsequently be directly launched using a desktop link on the client machine.

Typically, an application written in Java can be deployed quickly with a few simple steps. Java Web Start applications require all resources to be located within one or more jar files. Once you have packaged up your resources (classes, images etc.) into your jar file(s), you need to create a Java Network Launching Protocol (JNLP) file to be placed onto your web server. This file specifies all the properties required by your application, as well as any Web Start instructions required in order to launch the application.

New versions of your application can be easily deployed to your customer base automatically by updating the resource jar files and deploying them to your web server. Java Web Start applications will automatically check for new versions before launching local cached versions.