Here are key points about Java Web Start:

1. Deployment via JNLP: Java Web Start applications were typically deployed using Java Network Launching Protocol (JNLP) files, which describe the application’s resources and how it should be launched. Users would click on a link to a JNLP file in a web browser to start the application.

2. Automatic Updates: Java Web Start allowed developers to ensure that users always had the latest version of their applications. When updates were available, Java Web Start could automatically download and install them.

3. Isolation: Each Java Web Start application ran in its own isolated environment, which helped prevent conflicts between different applications and improved security.

4. Cross-Platform: Java Web Start was cross-platform, meaning that applications could run on different operating systems with a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed.

5. Rich Client Applications: It was often used for deploying rich client applications that required access to the user’s system resources, such as file systems and peripherals.

6. Security Concerns: Java Web Start faced security vulnerabilities and concerns over the years, leading to its deprecation and removal from newer versions of Java. Modern web standards and technologies have largely replaced its functionality.

7. Alternative Technologies: Developers looking to deploy Java applications now often rely on other technologies like JavaFX, which can be packaged as native installers for various platforms, or web-based technologies like JavaScript and HTML5