Getting applications to users, if possible in one piece, is a difficult topic, so reducing the necessary effort is a good idea. Java offers a solution for deployment with Java Web Start. The end user needs a JRE on the system, but otherwise just needs to click on a special link, which will get handled by Java Web Start, and it handles all the rest. JRuby, since it's based on the JVM, can make use of Java Web start to deploy applications too.
Mirko Stocker, known for being on the team who implemented the first Ruby refactoring tools for Eclipse, walks us through developing a small JRuby GUI application, an Obect Browser, and building the necessary Java Web Start configuration. The article shows the necessary steps such as signing the Jar files or how to setting JRuby properies with Java Web Start.
As a bonus, Mirko looks at the new Ahead Of Time (AOT) compiler in JRuby 1.1. This allows to compile Ruby code to Java bytecode at build time. With this, it's possible to ensure certain pieces of the Ruby code are compiled to bytecode, instead of hoping that the Just In Time (JIT) compiler will pick it up and compile it (the article also explains some other issues that the AOT helps resolve).
Read Mirko Stocker's Deploying JRuby Applications with Java Web Start.
Mirko Stocker, known for being on the team who implemented the first Ruby refactoring tools for Eclipse, walks us through developing a small JRuby GUI application, an Obect Browser, and building the necessary Java Web Start configuration. The article shows the necessary steps such as signing the Jar files or how to setting JRuby properies with Java Web Start.
As a bonus, Mirko looks at the new Ahead Of Time (AOT) compiler in JRuby 1.1. This allows to compile Ruby code to Java bytecode at build time. With this, it's possible to ensure certain pieces of the Ruby code are compiled to bytecode, instead of hoping that the Just In Time (JIT) compiler will pick it up and compile it (the article also explains some other issues that the AOT helps resolve).
Read Mirko Stocker's Deploying JRuby Applications with Java Web Start.