VAInstall is a multi-platform installer written in Java. It is distributed under the GNU GPL License 2.

Through a simple config file, it allows the packager to pick files and directories from various places on disk, and not only one root dir like other installers.

The packager can completely reorganize the files and dirs on the destination host. You can choose the installer's look&feel for the destination host (graphic, xtra, text or ansi).

VAInstall takes minimum space on the destination host: it does not write any large temporary file on disk, and supports easy and powerful uninstallation.

VAInstall allows, through two configuration files, to package a collection of files from any directory on the packager's host to any directory on the end-user's host.

On the packager's side, six possible output formats are possible: Linux exe, Windows exe, Unix/Linux sh script, Java class, executable Jar, or JavaWebStart Jnlp. The configuration files allow multiple options.

On the end-user's side, an easy to use interface guides the user through the process of installation or uninstallation, and supports auto-detection of previous versions.

VAInstall has many features that other Java installers miss.

• Multi-platform installation of applications (Java or not), or other data
• 6 formats possible for the auto-installable packaged archive:
  • executable Java class
  • executable Jar
  • JavaWebStart Jnlp
  • Windows exe
  • Linux-i386 exe
  • Unix/Linux executable sh script
• Easy uninstall process
• Version control: upgrades apps from existing versions or installs new versions
• Forced-update mode: for differential updates or module/plug-in installation in existing apps
• Four possible user-interfaces: graphic-classic, graphic-xtra, text-only or coloured ansi text
• Easy configuration: a config file and a file listing
• Powerful archiving: you can archive files from different locations, and reorganize them as you want in your auto-install archive.
• Java launch scripts generation
• Windows registry management
• Shortcuts generation (for Debian/Gnome targets only)
• Support for choosable language during installation
• Has an Ant task for integration with the build tool Ant from Apache