Software Distribution

Background

OpenHospital is nowadays distributed in .zip format (for Windows) and .tar.gz (for Linux and Mac) through the "portable" version, an all-in-one solution for end-users, that contains an embedded MySQL Server + the DB and the JVM machine to run the application.

Nevertheless when a new release is planned, to package this portable version requires time and it's error prone, and also is becaming very obsolete because of the MySQL and JVM versions included are not updated.

The ideal goal is to find a reliable solution to distribute one package for every user, in the logic "create once, deployed everywhere". This goal could be achieved with containers tools (e.g. Docker) that can be used successfully for both testing and for production environment, but of course this would add the payload of the docker-machine.

Tools that maybe chosen:

• IzPack
• install4j
• docker
• chocolatey

In the process could be also evaluated a Database versioning system such as:

• Flyway
• LiquiBase

This decision affects the following issues:

OP-68 - Getting issue details... STATUS

OP-69 - Getting issue details... STATUS

OP-70 - Getting issue details... STATUS

OP-71 - Getting issue details... STATUS

Relevant data

The decision should consider the lack of resources in the management of the whole project so every new solution should be documented and maintened and should maximize the resoultion of problems.

Options considered

Action items

• To evaluate IzPack
• To evaluate install4j
• To evaluate Docker Paolo Viotti
• To evaluate Chocolatey
• To evaluate Flyway Alessandro Domanico

Outcome