OpenJDK builds and javaws bin file

Question

I understand that Java Web Start is deprecated and not present in Java SE 11 and later.

I bumped into the Red Hat distribution of OpenJDK which says "OpenJDK 11 Windows installer includes an additional component - Web Start deployment protocol implementation based on IcedTea-Web open-source project." Red Hat's OpenJDK Overview. I thought "well they added it".

I downloaded it but in /bin there isn't any trace of javaws.

I also downloaded the OpenJDK 8 from Red Hat, and again, no trace of javaws in /bin. I downloaded the Reference Implementation builds of Java SE 8 from Oracle from https://jdk.java.net/java-se-ri/8 and again, no trace of javaws.

What am I missing?

P.S. despite a programmer, I know nothing of Java

Answer 1

In Red Hat Java 8 there are TWO downloads available for WINDOWS:

• zip
• msi

The MSI version does NOT contain the \webstart folder.

The zip version DOES contain the \webatart folder.

\redhat\java-1.8.0-openjdk-1.8.0.232-3.b09.redhat.windows.x86_64\webstart\javaws.exe

Separately, unlike Oracle Java, openJDK does NOT have a Java console that shows output from the app when running.

But that output is written to a txt file. FOUND IT here:

https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/openjdk/8/pdf/troubleshooting_openjdk_8_for_windows/OpenJDK-8-Troubleshooting_OpenJDK_8_for_Windows-en-US.pdf

C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\RedHat\java-1.8.0-openjdk-1.8.0.232-3.b09.redhat.windows.x86_64\webstart\javaws_last_log.txt

Answer 2

Please turn to icedtea-web project. It is independent project, and in one way or another, it is what all distros are packing as javaws - http://icedtea.classpath.org/wiki/IcedTea-Web