Table of Contents
Introduction
In this guide, you will install various versions of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and the Java Developer Kit (JDK) using apt . You'll install OpenJDK as well as official packages from Oracle. You'll then select the version you wish to use for your projects. When you're finished, you'll be able to use the JDK to develop software or use the Java Runtime to run software.
Prerequisites
To follow this tutorial, you will need:
- One Debian 9 server set up by following the the Debian 9 initial server setup guide tutorial, including a non-root user with
sudoaccess and a firewall.
Installing the Default JRE/JDK
The easiest option for installing Java is to use the version packaged with Debian. By default, Debian 9 includes Open JDK, which is an open-source variant of the JRE and JDK.
This package will install OpenJDK version 1.8, which is compatible with Java 8. Java 8 is the current Long Term Support version and is still widely supported, though public maintenance ends in January 2019.
To install this version, first update the package index:
sudo apt update
Next, check if Java is already installed:
java -version
If Java is not currently installed, you'll see the following output:
[secondary_label Output]
-bash: java: command not found
Execute the following command to install OpenJDK:
sudo apt install default-jre
This command will install the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). This will allow you to run almost all Java software.
Verify the installation with:
java -version
You'll see the following output:
[secondary_label Output]
openjdk version "1.8.0_181"
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_181-8u181-b13-1~deb9u1-b13)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.181-b13, mixed mode)
You may need the Java Development Kit (JDK) in addition to the JRE in order to compile and run some specific Java-based software. To install the JDK, execute the following command, which will also install the JRE:
sudo apt install default-jdk
Verify that the JDK is installed by checking the version of javac, the Java compiler:
javac -version
You'll see the following output:
[secondary_label Output]
javac 1.8.0_181
Next, let's look at how to install Oracle's official JDK and JRE.
Installing the Oracle JDK
If you want to install the Oracle JDK, which is the official version distributed by Oracle, you'll need to add a new package repository for the version you'd like to use.
First, install the software-properties-common package which adds the apt-get-repository command which you'll use to add additional repositories to your sources list.
Install software-properties-common with:
sudo apt install software-properties-common
With this installed, you can install Oracle's Java.
Installing Oracle Java 8
To install Java 8, which is the current long-term support version, first add its package repository:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java
When you add the repository, you'll see a message like this:
[secondary_label output]
Oracle Java (JDK) Installer (automatically downloads and installs Oracle JDK8). There are no actual Java files in this PPA.
Important -> Why Oracle Java 7 And 6 Installers No Longer Work: http://www.webupd8.org/2017/06/why-oracle-java-7-and-6-installers-no.html
Update: Oracle Java 9 has reached end of life: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk9-downloads-3848520.html
The PPA supports Ubuntu 18.04, 17.10, 16.04, 14.04 and 12.04.
More info (and Ubuntu installation instructions):
- for Oracle Java 8: http://www.webupd8.org/2012/09/install-oracle-java-8-in-ubuntu-via-ppa.html
Debian installation instructions:
- Oracle Java 8: http://www.webupd8.org/2014/03/how-to-install-oracle-java-8-in-debian.html
For Oracle Java 10, see a different PPA: https://www.linuxuprising.com/2018/04/install-oracle-java-10-in-ubuntu-or.html
More info: https://launchpad.net/~webupd8team/+archive/ubuntu/java
Press [ENTER] to continue or ctrl-c to cancel adding it
Press ENTER to continue. It will attempt to import some GPG signing keys, but it won't be able to find any valid ones:
[secondary_label Output]
gpg: keybox '/tmp/tmpgt9wdvth/pubring.gpg' created
gpg: /tmp/tmpgt9wdvth/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created
gpg: key C2518248EEA14886: public key "Launchpad VLC" imported
gpg: no ultimately trusted keys found
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg: imported: 1
gpg: no valid OpenPGP data found.
Execute the following command to add the GPG key for the repository source manually:
apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys C2518248EEA14886
Then update your package list:
sudo apt update
Once the package list updates, install Java 8:
sudo apt install oracle-java8-installer
Your system will download the JDK from Oracle and ask you to accept the license agreement. Accept the agreement and the JDK will install.
Installing Oracle Java 10
To install Oracle Java 10, first add its repository:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:linuxuprising/java
You'll see this message:
[secondary_label Output]
Oracle Java 10 installer
Java binaries are not hosted in this PPA due to licensing. The packages in this PPA download and install Oracle Java 10 (JDK 10), so a working Internet connection is required.
The packages in this PPA are based on the WebUpd8 Oracle Java PPA packages: https://launchpad.net/~webupd8team/+archive/ubuntu/java
Created for users of https://www.linuxuprising.com/
Issues or suggestions? Leave a comment here: https://www.linuxuprising.com/2018/04/install-oracle-java-10-in-ubuntu-or.html
More info: https://launchpad.net/~linuxuprising/+archive/ubuntu/java
Press [ENTER] to continue or ctrl-c to cancel adding it
Press ENTER to continue the installation. Like with Java 8, you'll see a message about invalid signing keys:
[secondary_label Output]
gpg: keybox '/tmp/tmpvuqsh9ui/pubring.gpg' created
gpg: /tmp/tmpvuqsh9ui/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created
gpg: key EA8CACC073C3DB2A: public key "Launchpad PPA for Linux Uprising" imported
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg: imported: 1
gpg: no valid OpenPGP data found.
Execute this command to import the necessary key:
sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys EA8CACC073C3DB2A
Then update your package list:
sudo apt update
Once the package list updates, install Java 10:
sudo apt install oracle-java10-installer
Your system will download the JDK from Oracle and ask you to accept the license agreement. Accept the agreement and the JDK will install.
Now let's look at how to select which version of Java you want to use.
Managing Java
You can have multiple Java installations on one server. You can configure which version is the default for use on the command line by using the update-alternatives command.
sudo update-alternatives --config java
This is what the output would look like if you've installed all versions of Java in this tutorial:
[secondary_label Output]
There are 3 choices for the alternative java (providing /usr/bin/java).
Selection Path Priority Status
------------------------------------------------------------
0 /usr/lib/jvm/java-10-oracle/bin/java 1091 auto mode
* 1 /usr/lib/jvm/java-10-oracle/bin/java 1091 manual mode
2 /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java 1081 manual mode
3 /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/bin/java 1081 manual mode
Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number:
Choose the number associated with the Java version to use it as the default, or press ENTER to leave the current settings in place.
You can do this for other Java commands, such as the compiler (javac):
sudo update-alternatives --config <^>javac<^>
Other commands for which this command can be run include, but are not limited to: keytool, javadoc and jarsigner.
Let's set the JAVA_HOME environment variable next.
Setting the JAVA_HOME Environment Variable
Many programs written using Java use the JAVA_HOME environment variable to determine the Java installation location.
To set this environment variable, first determine where Java is installed. Use the update-alternatives command again:
sudo update-alternatives --config java
This command shows each installation of Java along with its installation path:
[secondary_label Output]
Selection Path Priority Status
------------------------------------------------------------
0 /usr/lib/jvm/java-10-oracle/bin/java 1091 auto mode
* 1 /usr/lib/jvm/java-10-oracle/bin/java 1091 manual mode
2 /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java 1081 manual mode
3 /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/bin/java 1081 manual mode
In this case the installation paths are as follows:
- Oracle Java 10 is located at
/usr/lib/jvm/java-10-oracle/jre/bin/java.
- Oracle Java 8 is located at
/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/bin/java.
- OpenJDK 8 is located at
/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java.
These paths show the path to the java executable.
Copy the path for your preferred installation, excluding the trailing bin/java component. Then open /etc/environment using nano or your favorite text editor:
sudo nano /etc/environment
At the end of this file, add the following line, making sure to replace the highlighted path with your own copied path:
[label /etc/environment]
JAVA_HOME="<^>/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre<^>"
Modifying this file will set the JAVA_HOME path for all users on your system.
Save the file and exit the editor.
Now reload this file to apply the changes to your current session:
source /etc/environment
Verify that the environment variable is set:
echo $JAVA_HOME
You'll see the path you just set:
[secondary_label Output]
<^>/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre<^>
Other users will need to execute the command source /etc/environment or log out and log back in to apply this setting.
Conclusion
In this tutorial you installed multiple versions of Java and learned how to manage them. You can now install software which runs on Java, such as Tomcat, Jetty, Glassfish, Cassandra or Jenkins.
