GUI Application Delivery Comparison
Several options are available for delivering your Java-based, client-side GUI application on Mac OS X. Table 8-2 provides a chart comparing these various delivery mechanisms.
Table 8-2. Packaging options for GUI applications
|
Double-clickable JAR |
Mac OS X bundled application |
Applet |
Web Start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Packaging requirements |
Entry in JAR manifest |
Specific directory and packaging requirements |
HTML file |
HTML file and JNLP file |
|
Development complexity |
Minimal (standard Java development) |
Additional Mac OS X configuration |
Use Applet Runner |
Significant relaunching within Web Start |
|
Portability |
Closest to “pure” Java |
Doesn’t force incompatibility; unfamiliar to non-Mac OS X users |
Extensive browser testing required |
Closest to “pure” Java with network connectivity |
|
Functionality |
Full |
Full |
Limited by Sandbox, browser JVM |
Limited by digital signature |
|
Sandbox |
None |
None |
Browser |
Web Start |
|
Mac OS X user experience |
Varies per testing on Mac OS X |
Preferred |
Varies per testing on Mac OS X |
Generally preferred over applets for network-delivered applications |
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