JasperReports Server Distributions

JasperReports Server is a web application that runs in an app server and uses an external database to store its repository. Depending on your use case, JasperReports Server is available in two distributions: a binary installer for evaluation and a WAR file for production.

  • The binary installer is an executable file that includes the Tomcat application server and PostgreSQL database so that it is fully self-contained. The installer software leads you through the options and installs Tomcat and PostgreSQL with default settings for JasperReports Server to use. You also have the option to install the sample data for working with tutorials, which is recommended.

    The binary installer runs on desktops and laptops under Linux, MacOS, and Windows (64-bit), so you can quickly install an instance of JasperReports Server and explore all of its features. However, the app server and the database server are not configured for performance and not intended for use in production. For more information, see Running the Binary Installer for Evaluation.

  • The WAR (web archive) file is a zipped file containing only the JasperReports Server web app. To install the WAR file in production, you must first install and configure one of the supported app servers (for example Tomcat, JBoss, WebLogic, or Websphere) and one of the supported databases (most major relational databases). These servers can be in the cloud or on premises, shared with other web apps or dedicated to JasperReports Server (recommended), but they should be configured for performance under the expected load, reliability (uptime), security, and backups.

    The WAR file distribution includes scripts that you edit to specify your app server and database. When you run these scripts, they create the necessary tables in your database and copy the files of the web app to your app server. You can also import an existing repository if you are upgrading from a previous version of JasperReports Server. For more information, see Installing the WAR File for Production. For the list of supported app servers and databases, see the Jaspersoft Platform Support Guide for this release.

The binary installer is intended for evaluation purposes only. To install TIBCO JasperReports Server for enterprise production environments, use the stand-alone WAR file distribution, which is the official TIBCO JasperReports Server installer.

Both the binary installer and the WAR file are available from TIBCO Technical Support (https://www.jaspersoft.com/support).