java install

Wiki ▸ Development Environment ▸ Installing Java

Installing Java

Oracle's Java SE is not included in the official Linux repositories due to license problems created by Oracle. However, it can still be installed on Linux.

1. Download Oracle Java Java SE Development Kit from here (7u80 is the latest):

   https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/java-archive-downloads-javase7-521261.html
   

   Note: Select the appropriate package for your architecture: x86 or x64.

   You will need to sign up for My Oracle Support to download this file.

2. Run Oracle Java JDK binary:

   tar xvf jdk-7u80-linux-x64.tar.gz

   There will be a newly created folder on the same path with the extracted files

3. Move the folder to a system wide path and give it a more identifiable name

   sudo mkdir -p /usr/lib/jvm
   cd /path/to/binary/
   sudo mv /path/to/binary/jdk1.7.0_80 /path/to/binary/java-7-oracle
   sudo mv /path/to/binary/java-7-oracle /usr/lib/jvm/

4. Add the new version of java, javac and javaws as an system alternative and give it priority 1

   sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/java" "java" "/usr/lib/jvm/java-7-oracle/bin/java" 1
   sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javac" "javac" "/usr/lib/jvm/java-7-oracle/bin/javac" 1
   sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javaws" "javaws" "/usr/lib/jvm/java-7-oracle/bin/javaws" 1

5. Select the new alternatives to be used

   sudo update-alternatives --config java
   sudo update-alternatives --config javac
   sudo update-alternatives --config javaws

6. Test your newly added java and javac. The java -version command should return:

   java version "1.7.0_80"
   Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_80-b12)
   Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 20.5-b03, mixed mode, sharing)

   and the javac -version command should return

   javac 1.7.0_80

7. Update system paths. Open /etc/profile with you favorite text editor, ie.

   sudo vi /etc/profile

   Navigate to the end of the file and add these contents:

   JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-7-oracle
   PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:$JAVA_HOME/bin
   export JAVA_HOME
   export JAVA_BIN
   export PATH

   Reload your system wide /etc/profile with the command:

   . /etc/profile