install4j comes in two editions, the Multi-Platform Edition and the Windows Edition.

install4j offers the following features:

Extensive Platform Support
install4j creates media files for all mainstream platforms:

• All 32-bit versions of Windows
• 64-bit Windows
• Full support for Windows Vista and Windows 7
• Mac OS X
• Unix
• Linux RPM

IDE and Compiler
install4j makes designing and building installers easier than ever:

• Easy to use IDE for designing installers
• Powerful built-in script editor
• Code gallery with example scripts
• Build from within the IDE
• Command line compiler
• Ant task
• Build on any platform
• Build debug installers
• XML project file
• Project export to HTML

Construction of a Distribution Tree  
install4j's GUI allows you to:

• Freely define your distribution tree
• Configure multiple installation roots
• Configure multiple file sets
• Use compiler variables in the distribution tree
• Handle platform-specific differences
• Define file rights for Unix, Linux and Mac OS X
• Define fine-grained uninstallation policies
• Define fine-grained overwrite policies
• Define a tree of installation components

Compilation of Native Launchers
install4j launchers have the following features:

• Customized JRE/JDK detection
• Flexible classpath construction
• GUI and console launchers
• Service launchers
• Custom working directory
• VM parameters file
• Enforce single instance on Windows
• React to file association startups on Mac OS X
• Windows version info resource
• Configurable execution level for Windows Vista and Windows 7
• Custom script for Linux/Unix launchers
• Splash screen
• Redirection of stderr and stdout
• Startup failure detection
• Custom icon
• Custom process name and task bar grouping on Windows XP
• Application bundle on Mac OS X

Installers and Uninstallers
install4j creates installers with the following features:

• Support for Java 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7
• LZMA and Pack200 compression algorithms
• GUI installer mode
• Console installer mode
• Unattended installer mode
• Unified screen and action configuration for all installer modes
• Response files for installers
• Integration for code signing
• Localization into many languages
• Language detection at runtime
• Rollback if the installation fails or if the user cancels
• Net installers
• CD installers
• Configurable icon, window size and images
• Installer log file

JRE Bundling and On-Demand Download of JREs
With install4j, you can:

• Dynamically bundle a JRE
• Statically bundle a JRE
• Install a shared JRE
• Prepare your own JRE bundles

Updates
 install4j actively handles updates of your installations:

• Application ID
• Suggest previous locations
• Run the uninstaller for updates
• Stop deployed services
• Detect running instances of an application
• Create "add-on" installers

Auto-Update Functionality
install4j provides flexible auto-update functionality for your applications:

• Updater templates
• Auto-generated update descriptor
• Flexible update selection logic
• Updater API
• Update schedule registry

Flexible Definition of Installer Applications
The screens & actions tab is the center-piece of the install4j IDE and features:

• Custom installer applications
• Screens and action groups
• Re-use of screens and actions with linking
• Disabling of screens, actions and form components
• Comments
• Quick search

Screens
install4j's screen system offers:

• Configurable screen sequence for installers and uninstallers
• Standard screens for common tasks
• Configurable screens
• Form screens

Actions
install4j's action system offers:

• Configurable action sequence for all screens
• Actions for scripting the installer or uninstaller
• Desktop integration actions
• File operation actions
• Options for the "Finish" screen
• Registry and preference store modifications
• Service actions
• Text file modifications
• XML file modifications
• Other miscellaneous actions

Variables
install4j has several variable systems:

• Compiler variables
• Installer variables
• Launcher variables
• Localization keys

Installer API
install4j offers a rich API for installers and uninstallers:

• Installer and uninstaller context
• General services
• Platform-specific services
• Installer events
• Framework for screens, actions and form components
• JavaBeans framework

Extensibility
install4j is extensible:

• JavaBeans extension model
• Easy integration of custom code
• Extensions