Chapter 4. Advice to Java packagers

# Chapter 4. Advice to Java packagers

Warning: These recommendations are just advisory, they are not part of the policy.

- Be sure to manage all dependencies by hand in `debian/control`. Debian development tools cannot find them automatically like they do with C programs and libraries (or like dh_perl does it for Perl, a volunteer to write dh_java would be welcome).

- In hand-written `debian/rules`, a lot of calls can be removed since they are useless for Java packages, e.g. dh_strip and dh_shlibdeps.

- Source package handling is painful, since most Java upstream programs come with `.class` files. I suggest to make a new `.orig` tarball after cleaning them, otherwise, dpkg-source will complain.

- Java properties files are probably better under `/etc` and flagged as configuration files (this will be integrated in the policy, one day).

Chapter 3. Issues to discuss |  |