install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install launch4j

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install launch4j

MacPorts ports tree · java/launch4j/Portfile · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Cross-platform Java executable wrapper

Project links

Commands and aliases

launch4j

history

Project history and usage

Launch4j is a cross-platform build utility for wrapping Java applications in lightweight Windows native executables. It combines a GUI, command-line usage, Ant integration, Maven-oriented packaging, JRE discovery, version metadata, splash screens, manifests, and optional bundled-runtime behavior.

Project history

The SourceForge project was registered on 2003-11-27 and is maintained under Grzegorz Kowal's SourceForge account. Its changelog shows a long-lived Java desktop tooling project: the 1.x line was active by 2004, version 2.0 beta1 on 2005-05-13 introduced a new cross-platform wrapper and XML configuration, and version 3.0.0 on 2008-03-16 added runtime and Windows integration improvements.

Later releases tracked Java and Windows ecosystem changes. Version 3.8 on 2015-05-09 Mavenized the project; version 3.11 on 2017-06-27 added basic Java 9 support and Linux 64-bit binaries; version 3.14 on 2021-03-07 switched to Java 1.8 and FlatLaf; version 3.50 on 2022-11-13 simplified runtime-search configuration.

Adoption history

Launch4j became a standard answer for Java developers who wanted a Windows .exe without abandoning cross-platform build machines. SourceForge lists operating-system support across Linux, Mac, Solaris, Windows, BSD, and ChromeOS for the tool itself, while noting that the wrapped program runs on Windows.

Homebrew and MacPorts packaging placed Launch4j into Unix-like developer workflows, especially for developers building Windows deliverables from macOS or Linux.

How it is used

A developer supplies a Launch4j XML configuration describing the jar or class entry point, icon, JRE constraints, command-line behavior, version information, and other wrapper settings. Launch4j then emits a Windows executable while the build can run from Windows, Linux, or macOS.

Why package nerds care

Launch4j is package-nerd-significant because it is a bridge artifact: a Java program packaged on Unix-like systems whose main output is a Windows executable wrapper. It exercises packaging assumptions around GUI tools, command-line tools, Ant/Maven integration, MinGW-built headers, bundled runtimes, and platform-specific outputs.

Timeline

2003: SourceForge project registered on 2003-11-27.
2004: Changelog includes version 1.3.1 dated 2004-11-05.
2005: Version 2.0 beta1 introduced a cross-platform wrapper and XML configuration.
2008: Version 3.0.0 added dynamic heap values and Windows integration fixes.
2015: Version 3.8 Mavenized Launch4j.
2017: Version 3.11 added basic Java 9 support and Linux 64-bit binaries.
2021: Version 3.14 switched dependencies to Java 1.8 and FlatLaf.
2022: Version 3.50 changed runtime path-search behavior.

Related projects

Related technologies include Java, Windows PE executables, MinGW, Ant, Maven, Sign4j, bundled JRE workflows, and platform-specific Java launchers.

Sources

security posture

No protected-tool coverage found yet

No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for launch4j. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 5 platform targets.
Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`launch4j`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-25

manager version3.50

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://launch4j.sourceforge.net/

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://launch4j.sourceforge.net/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:launch4j
Version	3.50
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/launch4j
Homepage	https://launch4j.sourceforge.net/
Repository	https://sourceforge.net/p/launch4j/git/ci/master/tree
Upstream docs	https://launch4j.sourceforge.net/docs.html
License	BSD-3-Clause AND MIT
Source archive	https://git.code.sf.net/p/launch4j/git.git
Dependencies	openjdk
Build dependencies	ant
Bottle	available (on big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	launch4j
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Requirements	arch macos
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	yes
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

MacPorts95%

launch4j

sudo port install launch4j

normalized package name match
Matched by: Launch4j

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: java/launch4j/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/launch4j.yml

Used sources

Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install launch4j with Homebrew, MacPorts