Library to distribute software updates

Question

We are providing Java desktop software for Windows, OS X and Linux. Currently, when an update is available, our customers have to download the new software bundle from our website and install it manually. This means on Windows, they have to launch a setup, on OS X and Linux to extract a tar.gz file. It usually is no big deal, but we want to stream-line this process nonetheless.

Before we start to reinvent the wheel, I want to know whether there already are solutions available which could perform the right steps platform-specifically. Something like Java Web Start but with much more control over it and no need to have it installed on the system. I know that OSGi platforms like Apache Felix can do that, but I rate them as overkill.

Answer 1

Apart from the mentioned Java Web Start technology, Eclipse RCP (SWT-based RCP) and the NetBeans Platform (Swing-based RCP) provide update managers.

Answer 2

Java Web Start is PERFECT for this!

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/tech/index-jsp-136112.html

It allows you to distribute desktop applications via the web and allows you to update them easily as well. It's a really handy technology.

Answer 3

Use Java Web Start to install & launch the app.

Java Web Start (JWS) is the Oracle Corporation technology used to launch rich client (Swing, AWT, SWT) desktop applications directly from a network or internet link. It offers 'one click' installation for platforms that support Java.

JWS provides many appealing features including, but not limited to, splash screens, desktop integration, file associations, automatic update (including lazy downloads and programmatic control of updates), partitioning of natives & other resource downloads by platform, architecture or Java version, configuration of run-time environment (minimum J2SE version, run-time options, RAM etc.), easy management of common resources using extensions..

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Something like Java Web Start but with much more control over it and no need to have it installed on the system

1. If Java 1.5+ is installed, JWS is sure to be installed. From the info. page.

   JWS was first offered as a separate download on 14 March 2001 over two years after the release of Java 1.2, and could launch both applications and applets as free floating entities. The functionality became co-bundled with J2SE 1.4.2.

2. Control over what exactly? JWS provides programmatic control:
   • The DownloadService gives control over how/when the app. is updated.
   • The more recent IntegrationService provides the same for desktop integration.