Configuration items for a software application can be automatically and/or manually discovered, and the application can be packaged to form a virtual application package. A deployment configuration can include settings for the configuration items. The deployment configuration can be set after packaging the software application. For example, a selected configuration item in the deployment configuration may be changed in response to user input. The virtual application package can be deployed to instantiate the application one or more times, and the deployment configuration can be applied in the instantiated application.