When to use Akka Microkernel?

Question

I am reading the Akka docs and am curious about something that is really not explained all that well. They mention something called the Akka Microkernel, and allude that its some kind of app bootstrapper/launcher, but they don't really explain what it is and when to use it.

Later on in the docs there is an entire page dedicated to the Microkernel, but its equally as mysterious and vague, stating:

The Akka Microkernel is included in the Akka download found at downloads.

And then:

To run an application with the microkernel you need to create a Bootable class that handles the startup and shutdown the application. An example is included below.

But nowhere in there is an explanation of what the microkernel is and why I would ever need to use it. Ideas?

Answer 1

According to Viktor Klang the inventor of the Microkernel:

The primary use-case was to create a bundle so one can easily package an Akka Application and deploy/run it somewhere else (without having to write launcher scripts or installing some kind of App Server).

and

It's a very lightweight packaging of an Akka application in a distributable archive.

This Google post may shed more light on the matter for you.