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new e878b0328a Add a note about META-INF/MANIFEST.MF file in kar files
(#2255)
e878b0328a is described below
commit e878b0328a47be02ebc1da85bd7d2c899b61fe8b
Author: JB Onofré <[email protected]>
AuthorDate: Wed Feb 4 09:36:34 2026 +0100
Add a note about META-INF/MANIFEST.MF file in kar files (#2255)
---
manual/src/main/asciidoc/user-guide/kar.adoc | 3 +++
1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)
diff --git a/manual/src/main/asciidoc/user-guide/kar.adoc
b/manual/src/main/asciidoc/user-guide/kar.adoc
index cebfcd9e3d..322006bfa1 100644
--- a/manual/src/main/asciidoc/user-guide/kar.adoc
+++ b/manual/src/main/asciidoc/user-guide/kar.adoc
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ A KAR file contains a `repository` folder containing:
* a set of features XML files
* the artifacts following the Maven directory structure
(`groupId/artifactId/version/artifactId-version.type`).
+NB: as kar is a zip file, it doesn't require a `META-INF/MANIFEST.MF` file.
However, as the `karaf-maven-plugin` plugin uses Jar archive to create kar, it
includes a `META-INF/MANIFEST.MF` (even if useless).
+
For instance, the `spring-4.0.0.kar` contains:
----
@@ -106,6 +108,7 @@ The `kar` goal does:
. Reads all features specified in the features XML.
. For each feature described in the features XML, the goal resolves the
bundles described in the feature.
. The goal finally packages the features XML, and the resolved bundles in a
zip file.
+. NB: the `kar` goal uses Maven JarArchiver to create kar files, meaning that
a `META-INF/MANIFEST.MF` is generated and included in the kar, even if not
actually used.
For instance, you can use the following POM to create `my-kar.kar`:
