GitMaven Installer

GitMaven Installer is a cross-platform desktop application designed to simplify the process of cloning Maven-based projects from GitHub or GitLab, building them, and creating launchable shortcuts on Windows, macOS, and Linux systems.

Developer Setup Notes

If the Maven project you are cloning does not already package its dependencies into a single runnable JAR, you’ll need to add the following plugin to its pom.xml. This ensures the output is a "fat JAR" that includes all required libraries, making shortcut execution possible on the target system.

✅ Maven Assembly Plugin

Add this configuration inside the cloned project's pom.xml to bundle all dependencies into a single JAR:

<plugin>
    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
    <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
    <version>3.4.2</version>
    <configuration>
        <finalName>your-project-name</finalName>
        <appendAssemblyId>false</appendAssemblyId>
        <archive>
            <manifest>
                <mainClass>your.package.name.YourMainClass</mainClass>
            </manifest>
        </archive>
        <descriptorRefs>
            <descriptorRef>jar-with-dependencies</descriptorRef>
        </descriptorRefs>
    </configuration>
    <executions>
        <execution>
            <id>make-fat-jar</id>
            <phase>package</phase>
            <goals>
                <goal>single</goal>
            </goals>
        </execution>
    </executions>
</plugin>

Notes:

Replace your.project.name with your actual project name.

Replace your.package.name.YourMainClass with the full path to your class that contains public static void main(String[] args).

appendAssemblyId=false will prevent Maven from appending -jar-with-dependencies to the output JAR file name.

The jar-with-dependencies descriptor ensures that the JAR includes all external libraries.

Features

• ✨ Graphical User Interface (GUI) using Java Swing
• 💻 Cross-platform support: Windows, macOS, and Linux
• 🚀 Clone repositories from GitHub/GitLab using HTTPS or SSH
• 📚 Branch selection and fetching
• ⛏ Build Maven projects automatically
• ✅ System requirements check for Java, Git, and Maven
• 🔍 Read and display project README.md
• 📄 Fetch and display project owner info (GitHub/GitLab)
• 🔹 Optional custom Maven repository path
• ⚙ Create OS-specific desktop shortcuts for the built JAR
  • Windows: .lnk file on Desktop and optionally Start Menu
  • macOS: .app bundle with optional Dock pinning
  • Linux: .desktop file or Flatpak manifest for Applications menu
• 🌟 Custom icon and application name support
• 🧩 Import Configuration Files to quickly restore previously saved setup
• 🧾 Export Console Logs for debugging or sharing build/install output
• 🧠 User-friendly and guided UI to simplify setup for non-technical users

Requirements

Before running GitMaven Installer, ensure the following are installed:

• Java 17+ (tested with Java 21 and Java 24)
• Maven 3.10+
• Git 2.40+

Installation

1. Clone or download this repository.
2. Build the project using Maven:

mvn clean install

3. Run the application:

java -jar target/MavenInstaller-2.0-SNAPSHOT.jar

Usage

1. Launch the Application
   Run the built JAR file to start the graphical interface.

2. Check Requirements
   The application verifies if Java, Git, and Maven are installed, and provides version info with helpful download links if anything is missing.

3. Simple and Interactive UI
   GitMaven Installer provides a clean and intuitive Java Swing-based interface that guides you through each step without needing command-line experience.

4. Enter Repository URL
   Paste the GitHub or GitLab repository URL (supports HTTPS and SSH formats).

5. Fetch Branches
   Click "Fetch Branches" to retrieve and select from available Git branches.

6. Set Install Path
   Select the folder where you want to clone and build the project.

7. Custom Maven Repo (Optional)
   Specify a custom local Maven repository path if you prefer not to use the default ~/.m2.

8. Clone & Build

   • Clone the selected branch of the repository.
   • Automatically detect if it's a Maven project and build it using mvn install.
   • Extracts and displays the README.md content and project owner info.

9. Create Shortcut

   • Define the application name and optional icon.
   • OS-specific shortcut creation:
     • Windows: .lnk file on Desktop and optionally Start Menu (via mslinks)
     • macOS: .app bundle in ~/Applications with optional Dock pinning (via AppleScript)
     • Linux: .desktop launcher or Flatpak package in ~/.local/share/applications

10. Export Logs
    Save the build and execution logs from the console output panel for debugging or reference.

11. Import Configuration Files
    Load previously saved configuration values to pre-fill input fields and streamline repetitive setup.

Architecture

The application is structured into several key components:

• UI Layer: Built with Java Swing, managed in GitMavenCloneUI.java.
• Git Operations: Classes under FetchGitInfo handle cloning, branch fetching, and owner info from GitHub and GitLab.
• Build System: Uses RunMavenBuild.java and PomHelper.java to locate and compile Maven projects.
• Installer Creation: Platform-specific logic:
  • WindowsInstaller.java using mslinks
  • MacInstaller.java using AppleScript and .app bundles
  • LinuxInstaller.java supporting both .desktop and Flatpak manifests
• Helpers: Utilities like JarFinder.java, OperationSystemChecker.java, and RepositoryHelper.java
• Validation: RequirementsChecker.java checks for Java, Git, and Maven and prompts user before continuing

Screenshots

Supported Repository Hosts

• GitHub (public and private)
• GitLab (with optional access token)

Developer Notes

• This tool uses mslinks for Windows shortcut creation.
• On macOS, AppleScript is used to create .app bundles and Dock integration.
• On Linux, Flatpak manifest creation is supported with fallback to .desktop files.
• All file paths are handled with cross-platform support.

License

This project is released under the MIT License.