The software generates jar files by compiling and compressing source code.
If you're looking for a way to create jar archives that are incredibly small, then you might want to check out Autojar. This free, open source program is designed to create jar archives from a variety of sources, including classes, directories, and libraries.
One of the standout features of Autojar is the fact that it can scan bytecode recursively for other classes, and also extract them from archives when necessary. This means that you can create archives that contain only the classes that you actually need, which can help to keep the size and loading time of your applets down.
Autojar can also search directories and archives for other resources, like image files, and copy them to the output. This makes it easy to create self-contained applications that contain everything they need to run.
Another useful feature of Autojar is its ability to merge several libraries into a single archive. This can be a real time-saver if you're working with a large number of libraries, and can also help to reduce the size of your archives.
One potential issue with Autojar is reflection. Since the program doesn't know which classes your program will load during runtime, it can be difficult to predict which ones are needed. However, Autojar does include warnings if it encounters invocations of Class.forName(), and can also look up constant class names and add them automatically.
Overall, if you're looking for a simple, effective way to create jar archives of minimal size, then Autojar is definitely worth considering. With its robust feature set and easy-to-use interface, this program is a great choice for developers of all skill levels.
One of the standout features of Autojar is the fact that it can scan bytecode recursively for other classes, and also extract them from archives when necessary. This means that you can create archives that contain only the classes that you actually need, which can help to keep the size and loading time of your applets down.
Autojar can also search directories and archives for other resources, like image files, and copy them to the output. This makes it easy to create self-contained applications that contain everything they need to run.
Another useful feature of Autojar is its ability to merge several libraries into a single archive. This can be a real time-saver if you're working with a large number of libraries, and can also help to reduce the size of your archives.
One potential issue with Autojar is reflection. Since the program doesn't know which classes your program will load during runtime, it can be difficult to predict which ones are needed. However, Autojar does include warnings if it encounters invocations of Class.forName(), and can also look up constant class names and add them automatically.
Overall, if you're looking for a simple, effective way to create jar archives of minimal size, then Autojar is definitely worth considering. With its robust feature set and easy-to-use interface, this program is a great choice for developers of all skill levels.
What's New
Version 2.0.1: N/A