How To Use JPackage to Create an exe and msi Installer for JavaFX 17 App on Windows 11 x64 1-2

In this guide, I'll demonstrate how to utilize JPackage to generate a self-contained JavaFX or Java 17 application that includes all essential dependencies. This will enable us to create a native package in the form of an EXE or MSI on Windows 11 x64.

JPackage has various customizable options to tailor the packaged application to meet specific needs.

--type
The type of package to create

--input
Path of the input directory that contains the files to be packaged

--dest
Path where generated output file is placed

--main-jar
The main JAR of the application containing the main class

--main-class
Qualified name of the application main class to execute.

--module-path
The path to modular jars

--add-modules
Add list of modules

--win-shortcut
Creates a desktop shortcut for the application.

--win-menu
Adds the application to the system menu.

You should download and install the following:

The Installed directories are as follow:

C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-17.0.1
C:\Program Files\Java\javafx-sdk-17.0.1
C:\Program Files\Java\javafx-jmods-17.0.1
C:\Users\Ken\AppData\Local\SceneBuilder
C:\Program Files\JetBrains\IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition 2021.3
C:\Program Files (x86)\WiX Toolset v3.11

VM options:
--module-path "C:\Program Files\Java\javafx-sdk-17.0.1\lib"

JDK 17.0.1
JavaFX 17.0.1
JavaFX SceneBuilder 17.0.0
IntelliJ IDEA 2021.3
Windows 11 x64

JPackage command:

Source:

[fahrezyman]

Hello, I tried your tutorial and it's working on converting to .exe but when I try to run the exe file it said "Failed to launch JVM" . can you please help what's going on?

Thank you

[waltergabrielseniii]

Wow, thank you so much for this tutorial on JavaFX and JPackage! I've been looking for this info for several days. I was just redirected to JPackageScriptFX all the time, and I felt I was in over my head. But you just explained what I need to do, and it helped me understand the JPackage documentation as well. Now I just need to modify your program options a little and I can get it to work on Linux and Mac, and I can finally release cross-platform applications.

[thanhnguyenuc]

You save my life bro, thanks a lots <3

[merapal]

Hello Ken, I have core java windows application using Swing and AWT component, I haven`t used any kind of JavaFX Components. So how can I create native "app-image" of my application using JPackage?.

[OsRageh]

I get this error ObjectNotFound: (jpackage:String) why?

[blenddynamics]

Ken,

Thank you for this video; it helped me immensely. This is the only tutorial I could find that describes what should be in the input directory.

A few nits:

(a) If your main jar (JavaFXHelloWorld.jar in this case) has a META-INF/MANIFEST.MF file that declares the main class, then I don't think you need to use the --main-class option on the jpackage command line (but it doesn't hurt).

(b) You specified the input directory as C:\Users\Ken\IdeaProjects\JavaFXHelloWorld\out\artifacts\JavaFXHelloWorld_jar, so I think you inadvertently included App-1.0.exe and App-2.0.msi in My App-2.0.msi. This doesn't have any effect on the program execution; but it does make the resulting output larger.

[niharprabhu]

Hi ken, can i use similar way to generate exe for my java swing project?

[catzillaw]

Hi Ken, Does the artifact has to be runnable? I mean it has to run when I double click on it in Explorer?

[pliniopvv]

Can not find WiX tools (light.exe, candle.exe)

[juang.]

Thank you for this christmas gift, its awesome. Can you give me some clue of how to achieve this if I'm using gradle.