Java Web Start support in Java 9 and beyond

One solution might be the WebStart replacement that Karakun is currently working on: https://openwebstart.com

Currently it is not clear when and how this will come since it is based on a kind of crowd-founding but since everyone can get involved (even with low cost) this is a very good possibility.

Since this is a duplicate of Applet/JNLP on Java 11 migration I just copied my answer

According to http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/9-deprecated-features-3745636.html

Java Deployment Technologies are deprecated and will be removed in a future release

Java Applet and WebStart functionality, including the Applet API, The Java plug-in, the Java Applet Viewer, JNLP and Java Web Start including the javaws tool are all deprecated in JDK 9 and will be removed in a future release.

There is a related discussion on the OpenJDK discuss list here: http://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/discuss/2017-November/004586.html

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

Source: Java Client Roadmap Update 2018-03-05 (Oracle)

This applies to Premier, Extended and Sustaining Support. Just from the quoted text:

• only Premier Support covers the Deployment Technology;
• the Deployment Technology could be removed in future Java SE 6 and 7 releases;
• as the applet API and plug-in are deprecated, the Deployment Technology could be removed in a future major release;
• Java 9 Premier Support only lasts until March 2018.

Consequently, Java 8 is the only release that will include the full Deployment Technology with mid-term Premier Support (March 2022).

Note that it does not mean Java Web Start will disappear but removing the Applet API and the plug-in means breaking apart the Deployment Technology.

I saw this on an Oracle Blog entry

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Extension of Oracle Java SE 8 Public Updates and Java Web Start support By: Donald Smith | Sr. Director of Product Management

Oracle has updated the Java SE Support Roadmap. A more detailed white paper will follow shortly, but here are the key changes made:

• The public availability of Java SE 8 updates from Oracle has been extended to at least January 2019. Moreover, Oracle will continue to provide consumers with updates for personal (non-corporate) use of Java SE 8 through at least the end of 2020.
• Oracle will continue to support Java SE 8 Web Start applications for public and personal (non-corporate) use to the same dates noted above.
• Oracle will continue to commercially support Java Web Start on Java SE 8 for commercial use, or when used in conjunction with Oracle products that have a Web Start dependency, through at least March, 2025.
• As announced in 2015, Applets will continue to be supported in Java SE 8 until at least March, 2019, pending continued support by browser vendors.