What is a .JNLP file?
A .JNLP file is a special kind of computer file that helps start and manage Java programs over the internet or a network. It's written in a code format called XML, which tells the computer where to find the Java program it needs to run, and what part of the program to start with. Think of it as a roadmap that guides your computer to start a Java application correctly.
In the past, if you had a .JNLP file, you could easily open it by double-clicking on it, as long as you had a certain version of Java installed on your computer. This version of Java had something called Java Web Start (JWS) technology, which knew how to read and use the .JNLP file.
However, things changed when newer versions of Java came out. Starting with Java 9 and more so in Java 11, the people who make Java decided to stop supporting Java Web Start. This means that the newer versions of Java can't open .JNLP files in the way they used to.
But don't worry, there's still a way to use .JNLP files! A program called Karakun OpenWebStart is here to help. It's a free program that works like the old Java Web Start but can be used with the newer versions of Java. So, if you have a .JNLP file you need to open, you can use Karakun OpenWebStart to do it.
Besides Karakun OpenWebStart, you can also open a .JNLP file with any text editor, like Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on Mac. This won't run the Java program, but it will let you see the XML code inside the file, which might be useful if you're curious or need to check something in the file's instructions.
In summary, even though the way to open .JNLP files has changed because of updates to Java, you can still run and manage Java applications over a network using tools like Karakun OpenWebStart or by looking at the file's code with a text editor.
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