This procedure is suitable for developers who want a better control over the add-on package
or those who want to automate some of the steps:
Pack the plugin or framework as a ZIP file or a Java Archive (JAR). Please note that you should pack the entire root directory
not just its contents.
Digitally sign the package. Please note that you can perform this step only if you
have created a JAR at the previous step. You
will need a certificate signed by a trusted authority. To sign the jar you can either
use the jarsigner command line tool inside Oracle's Java Development
Kit. ([JDK_DIR]/bin/jarsigner.exe) or, if you are working with
Apache Ant, you can use the
signjar task (which is just a front for the
jarsigner command line tool).
Note: The benefit of having a signed
add-on is that the user can verify the integrity of the add-on issuer. If you don't
have such a certificate you can generate one yourself using the keytool command line
tool. Please note that this approach is mostly recommended for tests since anyone can
create a self signed certificate.
Create a descriptor file. You can use a template that Oxygen XML Editor provides.
To use this template, go to File > New and select the Oxygen add-ons update site
template. Once deployed, this descriptor file is referenced as update
site.
Alternatively, you can use the Add-ons Packager plugin by following
this procedure: