Run JNLP files without Java Desktop using the CheerpJ JNLP Runner. Compatible with Chrome and Edge. No plugins, no application changes and no local Java installation required.
Not available for this browser: try Chrome or Edge. Publishing the application yourself? CheerpJ Core runs it in any browser.
Why CheerpJ JNLP Runner
Java Web Start is no longer included with modern Java distributions, making it difficult to continue running JNLP applications in current browsers. The CheerpJ JNLP Runner enables existing Java Web Start applications to run in Chrome and Microsoft Edge without requiring users to install Java Desktop.
HOW IT WORKS
The CheerpJ JNLP Runner allows users to launch existing Java Web Start (JNLP) applications directly from Chrome and Microsoft Edge. The browser extension detects JNLP files, starts the CheerpJ runtime and launches the application without requiring a desktop Java installation or browser plugins
Install the CheerpJ JNLP Runner extension from the Chrome Web Store or Microsoft Edge Add-ons.
Navigate to a website containing a Java Web Start (.jnlp) file and launch the application as you normally would.
The CheerpJ JNLP Runner detects the JNLP file and launches the application using the CheerpJ runtime in your browser.
The application runs directly in Chrome or Microsoft Edge without requiring a local Java installation or browser plugins, making deployment simpler for both users and IT teams.
Deployment comparison
Continue running existing JNLP applications in Chrome and Microsoft Edge without managing a local Java installation on every desktop.
| Requirement | Traditional Java Web Start | CheerpJ JNLP Runner |
|---|---|---|
| Local Java installation | Java 8 with Java Web Start on every desktop, kept patched | Not required: the Java runtime runs in the browser, compiled to WebAssembly |
| Browser plugins | Legacy desktop integration | Not required: a browser extension, from the Chrome Web Store or Edge Add-ons |
| Oracle Java subscription | Needed for Java 8 updates in commercial use | Not required: no desktop Java to license or keep updated |
| Java security settings | Exception Site List or deployment rule sets on every desktop | Not required: applications run inside the browser's own sandbox |
| Chrome support | No native support | Supported in current Chrome on desktop |
| Microsoft Edge support | No native support | Supported in current Edge on desktop |
| JNLP applications | Runs through Java Web Start | Runs in the browser, from the same JNLP file |
| Enterprise deployment | Desktop Java management | Chrome and Edge GPO support: force-install the extension across the estate |
A modern, secure solution to run JNLP files
Run JNLP files without a local Java installation, all within your browser.
Compatible with Chrome and Edge, runs securely within the browser sandbox.
CheerpJ supports networking, file systems, access to the clipboard, Swing/AWT and generally most Java 8 features.
CheerpJ allows you to keep running any legacy Java Web Start application that is either impossible or impractical to replace or upgrade, extending the life of your application with minimal investment.
The CheerpJ JNLP Runner extension drastically improves the security profile of your application, by removing the need for a local Java Desktop installation, and by running your JWS application sandboxed within the browser.
Yes.
CheerpJ is used by many organizations worldwide to run Oracle Java-based products, such as Oracle Forms and Oracle EBS, on modern browsers. This includes several Fortune 500 companies as well as local and federal government agencies.
Yes.
We can assist you in self-hosting the CheerpJ JNLP Runner so that your organisation doesn’t need to access the Chrome Web Store or the Edge Add-Ons store.
We can provide a self-hostable version of the CheerpJ JNLP Runner to any organisation that requires it. Please get in touch with Enterprise Sales if you are interested in this.
Yes.
You can deploy the CheerpJ JNLP Runner to your organisations’ machines by using Group Policies (GPOs). You can do this on either Chrome or Edge. Further instructions on how to setup your GPOs for CheerpJ are available on the technical documentation.
The CheerpJ JNLP Runner can be used to run any Java Web Start application provided in a JNLP file. It is based on the CheerpJ technology, which means that it has extensive support for Java 6, 7 and 8, and can run virtually any application that you could run with a Java Desktop installation.
The CheerpJ JNLP Runner is compatible with Chrome and Edge, as well as any other Chromium-based browser.
No.
The CheerpJ JNLP Runner does not have any requirement on the Desktop (and does not need Java to be installed) or on the Server.
Your application can remain unchanged, and you will not need any server-side integration.
You can find the Documentation for the CheerpJ JNLP Runner here.
CheerpJ 5.0 brings Java 21, Java 25, the full JDK and an opt-in WasmGC engine to the browser, with a standing commitment to every future Java LTS.
CheerpJ 5.0 brings Java 21 and 25, a complete OpenJDK build, and an experimental WasmGC execution engine to the browser.
Support for Internet Explorer is ending soon, but when?
