The full form of JNLP is Java Network Launching Protocol. This is a set protocol which tells about the rules which define the implementation of the Java mechanism. The files with the .jnlp extension are of the type of Web Starts. They are associated with Java by Sun Microsystems, Inc. The Java Network Launching Protocol is used to launch and manage the applications off the web. They are made to manage the Java programs over a specified network. These files can be run by double-clicking on them if the system has the Java Runtime Environment installed.
So, what can these type of file formats do?
The files with the JNLP may contain crucial information related to the remote addresses for the purposes of downloading the Java programs, which are featured by the files with a .jar extension. These files are saved with an XML format and can be easily viewed and edited with any text editor program in the system. These files with the . jnlp extensions actually contain a specified group of protocols which define the specific requirements of any mechanism for installing JAVA.
How is this file format different from applets?
Though the JNLP files fall under the category of applets, but they are different from the other various types of applets. Unlike the others, these files cannot be opened and edited through the Web browser in the system. They have to be firstly installed into the computer system, and only then can they be used and run as all other normal Java applications. The JNLP files work in the same way as the HTTP and HTML protocols work for the web.
Before trying to install a file with the JNLP, it is highly recommended that the Java version installed in the system should be fully updated and should also be enabled on the respective Web browser. After locating the file, either on the web (URL required for this) or on the network, the web browser should be opened. Right clicking on the file will give an option of &qout;Open With&qout;. To open the file, the option of &qout;Java Web Start&qout; is to be selected from the sub-menu that pops up. This way, the JNLP files can be run on any system.
Open JNLP File on Windows OS
- Look for an JNLP file you need to open in Windows Explorer and double-click on it
- If the file doesn’t open automatically and you see a “Windows can’t open a file” message then you should search for a program which can open JNLP file
- If you have a program which can open JNLP file installed on your computer then launch that program and select “File” and then “Open” or similar options from its menu to open the JNLP file
- If you don’t have the program installed then you need to try searching for “JNLP wiki”, “how to open JNLP file” in the search engine.
- Once you find the application, install it on your computer
- After the program is installed double-click on the JNLP file to open it
File extensions are used by Windows operating system to specify what kind of information is stored in the file. Every file in Windows OS needs to have file extension and file extensions are used by Windows to determine which application it should use to open the file. Every application installed on Windows OS places information about which extensions it could open into the Windows registry and Windows uses this information to determine which application it should launch when user double-clicks on the file. If application which can open JNLP file is not installed, then Windows will show ‘Windows can’t open JNLP file’ message and buttons to either select an application on the computer which can open the file or to search the web for the application which can open JNLP file.