Following is a list of some of the techniques and tools that can be used to
package applications ready for deployment to a device. The list is not
a full list and does not go into any detail but is intended to provide an
introduction to some of the ways a Java application can be packaged.
- Single Jar file
- Build a self-contained application with WebSphere MQ Everyplace embedded
in it. This option minimizes the footprint and ensures that the
classpath is kept to a minimum.
- Multiple Jar files
- Put application into one jar file and use either the supplied WebSphere MQ
Everyplace jar files or construct a separate WebSphere MQ Everyplace jar
file. Keeping WebSphere MQ Everyplace in one or more separate jars
makes it easy to use WebSphere MQ Everyplace from multiple independent
applications.
- JNLP
- JNLP or Java Network Launching Protocol and API, is an emerging standard,
for use in packaging and deploying Java applications. It is designed to
automate the deployment, via the web, for applications written to the J2SE
platform.
- OSGI
- OSGi or Open Services Gateway Initiative defines define a platform for the
packaging of and dynamic delivery of Java software services to networked
devices. This is achieved via a consistent, component-based,
architecture for the development and delivery of Java software components
known as bundles and services. Both WebSphere MQ Everyplace components
and applications can be turned into OSGi bundles and services for use in an
OSGi environment. The bundles are delivered from a bundle server There
are a number of products that provide bundle servers together with the client
code to handle the installation and lifecycle of bundles. Depending on
implementation the bundles can be downloaded on demand, and updated
automatically when a new version is available. IBM WebSphere Studio
Device Developer ships with SMF (service management framework), which assists
in the creation and testing of bundles together with a bundle server.
- Midlet
- An WebSphere MQ Everyplace J2ME MIDP application must be packaged as a
midlet or midlet suite (.jad and .jar).
- Palm specific
- In order to run on a Palm device a Java application must to be packaged in
a prc file, which is a Palm specific format. The IBM WebSphere Studio
Device Developer product ships with a tool that will package a Java
application as a prc file.
- JXE
- IBM WebSphere Studio Device Developer has a SmartLinker tool that can
produce an optimized packaging of an application that contains the minimum set
of required classes and methods for the deployment platform. The output
from the smartlinker is stored in a .JXE file which is understood by
the IBM j9 Java runtime.
- Installer
- There are a number of tools that will package an application ready for
installation on one or more platforms. A couple of examples of these
are InstallShield and self extracting zip files.
- Roll you own distribution mechanism
- For instance using a Java class loader that can load classes over a
network.
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