Java Web Start provides the power to launch full-featured applications
with a single click. Users can download and launch applications, such
as a complete spreadsheet program or an Internet chat client, without
going through complicated installation procedures.
With Java Web Start, the user can launch a Java application by clicking a link in a Web page. The link points to a JNLP
file, which instructs Java Web Start to download, cache and run the application.
Java Web Start provides Java developers and users with many deployment advantages:
- With Java Web Start, you can place a single Java application on a
Web server for deployment to a wide variety of platforms, including
Windows 2003/Vista/2000/XP, Linux, and SolarisTM
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Java Web Start supports multiple, simultaneous versions of the Java
Standard Edition platform. Specific applications can request specific
Java versions without conflicting with the different needs of other
applications. Java Web Start automatically downloads and installs the
correct version of the Java platform as necessary based on the
application's needs and the user's environment.
- Users can launch a Java Web Start application
independently of a Web browser. The user can be off-line, or unable to
access the browser. Desktop shortcuts can also launch the application,
providing the user with the same experience as a native application.
- Java Web Start takes advantage of the inherent
security of the Java platform. By default, applications have restricted
access to local disk and network resources. Users can safely run
applications from sources that are not trusted.
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Applications launched with Java Web Start are cached locally, for improved performance.
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Java Web Start provides limited support for applets through its
built-in applet viewer. However, this is not intended to be a full-
scale applet environment, such as the one provided by Java Plug-in.
Java Web Start's applet viewer has certain limitations; for example,
you cannot specify class files as resources, and it does not accept
policy files.
In Java Version 1.4.2 and beyond, Java Web Start is installed as part
of the JRE. Users do not have to install it separately or perform
additional tasks to use Java Web Start applications.