Combined maven plugin to call the new jlink and jpackager tools from maven and java library for other packaging maven plugins.
Based on Apache maven-jlink-plugin
The JLink-JPackager Maven plugin is intended to create Modular Run-Time Images with JDK 9 and above or native installable packages via jpackage with JDK 12 and above.
Although the jlink and jpackage tools have some limitations in regards to using non module jars and automatic module jars the JLink-JPackager Maven plugin can create ZIP files for Modular Run-Time Images or package installers with Java Runtimes and mixed real and automatic modules and non modular jars.
It does this by analyzing java module depdencies of all maven dependencies using the jdeps java tool and modifying command line parameters for the jlink the jpackage and the java executable based on the findings.
NOTE: This is an alpha release which means everything can change until we reach the first milestone release.
The JLink-JPackager Maven Plugin is available on GitHub: jlink-jpackager-maven-plugin
Usually you will use the Maven JLink-JPackager Maven Plugin to create a Run Time Image or an installable Package from one or more modules within a multi module build.
You will than use one submodule there with a pom.xml which uses one of the special Maven packaging types the plugin provides and a configuration for the plugin.
In other words it is not possible to create a Run Time Image or Installation Package from a single Maven Project within the same single Maven Project and you usually would not call the goals of the plugin by using a plugin execution configuration.
The JLink goal is intended to create a Java Run Time Image file based on http://openjdk.java.net/jeps/282, http://openjdk.java.net/jeps/220.
You need at least Java-9 to use this goal.
The JPackager goal is intended to create a native installer package file based on http://openjdk.java.net/jeps/343.
You need to use the special JDK-12 Early Access build that includes JPackager support to use this goal.
This JPackager JDK-12 Early Access build can be downloaded from https://jdk.java.net/jpackage/
Alternatively you can also use the JDK-11 backported JPackager tool wich is mentioned in Filling the Packager gap - OpenJDK mailing list - Java.net
Note: This is just a first SNAPSHOT not all jpackager goal Configuration Options are fully working yet.
Maven Runtime JDK Requirement is JDK-8 or above. If you are using JDK-8 as runtime for your maven you must specify your target JDK location by using the Maven toolchain feature.
You need to use the special JDK-12 or above Early Access build that includes JPackager support to use the plugin with the jpackage(r) Java tool as long as the jpackage(r) tool is not officially part of the JDK.
This JPackager JDK-?? Early Access build can be downloaded from https://jdk.java.net/jpackage/
Alternatively you can also use the JDK-11 backported JPackager tool wich is mentioned in Filling the Packager gap - OpenJDK mailing list - Java.net
The jlink-jpackager-maven-plugin is not (yet?) available on maven central you must download, compile and install that to your maven Repository before you can use it.
Native packages will be generated using tools on the target platform.
For Linux and Mac make sure you have the packaging tools for the used packaging type installed.
For Windows, there are two additional tools that developers will need to install if they want to generate native packages:
- exe — Inno Setup, a third-party tool, is required to generate exe installers
- msi — Wix, a third-party tool, is required to generate msi installers
Inno Setup Inno Setup Download
Wix Toolset Wix Toolset Downloads
Example for jlink-jpackager-maven-plugin how to build a distroless docker image using the Java jlink tool:
jlink-distroless-maven-example
Minimalistic Example for jlink-jpackager-maven-plugin how to build a installable package using the Java jpackage tool:
You can also see what can be done with the plugin by having a look at the Integration Tests in the source code for the plugin.
Besides being used on its own as a maven plugin the jlink-jpackager-maven-plugin can also be used as a java library for another maven plugin implementing special packaging needs for java applications.
The java classes for the maven goals of this maven plugin can be used as base classes for other maven goals and provide some hooks to be overloaded by derived classes.
An example for such use as a java library by another Packaging Maven Plugin can be found in the JPacktool Project.