Most people think that installing an application in Linux requires a fight with the commandline.  Last week, while adapting one of Platinum's projects to work with Linux, I learned about a tool called IzPack that can package your application into one executable jar file which includes a professional looking installer.  The installer features all the important pages:

• Application identification and developer information
• License display and acceptance
• Installation notes
• Package selection
• Installation progress view
• Final page with installation status

Of course several of the pages are optional in case you do not wish to display an end user license agreement or any other installation notes.

 Here is how it works:

Just like every tool these days, a developer writes an xml file that defines the page order along with the data required for each of the pages.  The file is pretty simple which allowed me to get the job done even though the documentation was either out of date or did not cover much.  Once the xml file is complete, the user calls the compiler class and specifies how to find the xml file, the base directory for the project, and finally the name of the file to write when everything is finished.  The compiler does a nice job of explaining what it is working on.  I really like how you can specify different packs to install so that the user has the ability to install extra files besides the required files for the application.  This is very useful for extra documentation, training materials, and maybe even the source code.  You might also like to know that this installer works on multiple platforms so you can maintain just one installer instead of an NSIS for windows and this for Linux/Mac.

For more information please check out:  http://www.izforge.com/IzPack