"jpackage -t pkg" - Package for macOS

Java Tools Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

∟"jpackage -t pkg" - Package for macOS

This section provides a tutorial example on how to use 'jpackage -t pkg' command to generate a binary distribution package from Java application JAR file in *.pkg format for macOS computers.

Now let's try to use "jpackage" to create a binary package in *.pkg format for my macOS computer. Note that macOS supports 2 binary distribution package formats, *.pkg and *.dmg.

1. Compile and create a JAR file for my Hello.java application.

herong$ javac Hello.java

herong$ jar -c -f Hello.jar Hello.class

herong$ ls -l
-rw-r--r--  1 herong  staff       416 Hello.class
-rw-r--r--  1 herong  staff       736 Hello.jar
-rw-r--r--  1 herong  staff       107 Hello.java

2. Create a binary package in *.dmg format with the "jpackage -t pkg" command.

herong$ jpackage -t pkg -n Hello --main-class Hello -i . \
  --main-jar Hello.jar
  
WARNING: Using incubator modules: jdk.incubator.jpackage

herong$ ls -l *.pkg
-rw-r--r--  1 herong  staff  45404334 Hello-1.0.pkg

3. Double click on the package name Hello-1.0.pkg to install it on macOS. The entire application will be installed inside /Applications.

4. Verify what's being installed. I see 240 files in 80 directories.

herong$ tree /Applications/Hello.app/Contents/

/Applications/Hello.app/Contents/
|-- Info.plist
|-- MacOS
|   |-- Hello
|-- PkgInfo
|-- Resources
|   |-- Hello.icns
|-- app
|   |-- Hello-1.0.dmg
|   |-- Hello.cfg
|   |-- Hello.class
|   |-- Hello.jar
|   |-- Hello.java
|-- runtime
    |-- Contents
        |-- Home
        |   |-- conf
        |   |   |-- logging.properties
        |   |   |-- management
        |   |   |-- net.properties
        |   |   |-- security
        |   |   |-- sound.properties
        |   |-- legal
...
        |   |-- lib
        |   |   |-- classlist
        |   |   |-- ct.sym
        |   |   |-- libattach.dylib
        |   |   |-- libawt.dylib
        |   |   |-- libawt_lwawt.dylib
...
        |   |-- release
        |-- Info.plist
        |-- MacOS
            |-- libjli.dylib

80 directories, 239 files

5. Let's run the installed application, Hello. It works!

herong$ /Applications/Hello.app/Contents/MacOS/Hello

Hello world!

Cool. "jpackage -t pkg" command can be used to build a binary distribution package from Java application JAR file in *.pkg format for macOS computers.