Dummies guide to .launch file ?

In simple words, please give me a rough idea of what a .launch file does and why is it needed ?
I got a java project and corrupted some of the content in its .launch file. Everything seems to be
running fine.
<update>
I deleted the file. Everything is till the same.

Then why have this .launch file ?

This looks like it's a question about some IDE, rather than a general question about Java. So I'll move it to the forum about IDEs where somebody might be able to guess which IDE you had in mind.

Or you could post back and tell us. But in any case I'll move the thread.

Paul Clapham wrote:This looks like it's a question about some IDE, rather than a general question about Java. So I'll move it to the forum about IDEs where somebody might be able to guess which IDE you had in mind.

Or you could post back and tell us. But in any case I'll move the thread.

Eclipse Indigo. Sorry, I forgot to mention that.

Actually, I think that the ".launch" file is part of a JNLP web-based launch package and isn't related to IDEs at all.

Tim Holloway wrote:Actually, I think that the ".launch" file is part of a JNLP web-based launch package and isn't related to IDEs at all.

What is the purpose of having that file, when its removal has no effect on my code ?

A quick google (which included a link to another javaranch thread) and it does seem to be an Eclipse feature.