Ubuntu – Installing Java Web Start: Java 12

javajdkoraclesoftware installation

Solution found and implemented. See below original post.

My JVM installation apparently does not contain javaws.

$ sudo update-alternatives --get-selections | grep ^java
java                           manual   /usr/lib/jvm/java-12-oracle/bin/java
javac                          manual   /usr/lib/jvm/java-12-oracle/bin/javac
javadoc                        manual   /usr/lib/jvm/java-12-oracle/bin/javadoc
javap                          manual   /usr/lib/jvm/java-12-oracle/bin/javap

I have used both the PPA and a direct install from Oracle here with this documentation.

I need javaws to launch a jnlp file. The app apparently needs the Oracle distribution and not OpenJDK.

I tried v11 and v8 but PPA appears to be unavailable due to new licensing.

This is not a duplicate of not able to install javaws because webupd8team's PPA and oracle-java8-installer doesn't exist anymore due to new licensing:

javaws does not appear to be in the main v12 distribution as per the directory structure.

Picture of tarball file.

SOLUTION: Do not use ppa, Register for Oracle Network, download JDK8, install manually. javaws does not exist for v11+

Download:
https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javaee/downloads/jdk8-downloads-2133151.html

Install JVM manually using:
https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install-java-on-ubuntu-18-04-bionic-beaver-linux

Best Answer

Unfortunately Java Web Start is no longer included since Java 11 SE. Excerpt from Java Client Road Map (Update 2018-03-05):

Java Web Start has become a migration path for developers as browser vendors continued to restrict plugin support over the past several years.

Since it is predominantly a desktop technology,Web Start has some limitations. In particular, it requires a standalone JRE to be installed and maintained on the user’s desktop.

However, over the past decade,vendors of the most popular desktop operating systems have emphatically pushed for applications on their platforms to be delivered bundled with integrated, sandboxed runtimes. Increasingly they require desktop applications to be distributed through their own private "app stores".

The notion of an application being distributed separately from a standalone JRE is,therefore,quickly fading.

Consequently:

  • Oracle will extend support for Web Start in Java SE 8 from March, 2019, through at least March 2025.

  • Oracle products that have dependencies on Web Start will remain on Java SE 8 and continue with the support timelines as indicated by those products.

  • Oracle will not include Java Web Start in Java SE 11(18.9LTS)and later.

  • Oracle will begin encouraging application developers and users to transition away from Java Web Start and encourage non-commercial consumers to remove any unused or non-supported Oracle JRE installations from their desktops.

  • Developers who deploy desktop applications to individual consumers (eg, games, personal banking, or other B2C applications) will need to transition to other deployment technologies such as the jlink and/or third party packaging and deployment solutions before the end of 2020.

  • Application developers who target applications for internal data processing, business, commercial, or production purposes, will either need to seek commercial license with Oracle, or transition to other deployment technologies by January 2019.

Therefore, if you really need Java Web Start you need to switch to Java 8.

Related Question