Java 24 is the latest release of the OpenJDK, featuring new Project Panama and Loom capabilities, improved garbage collectors, and preview features. Ubuntu 26.04 LTS ships with OpenJDK in its repositories. This guide installs Java 24 (OpenJDK) and configures it on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.

Tested and valid on:

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS

Prerequisites

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
A user with sudo privileges

Step 1 – Check Java Installation

java --version 2>/dev/null || echo 'Java not installed'

Step 2 – Install OpenJDK 24

sudo apt update
sudo apt install openjdk-24-jdk -y
java --version
javac --version

Step 3 – Install Multiple JDK Versions

sudo apt install openjdk-21-jdk openjdk-17-jdk -y

Step 4 – Switch Between Java Versions

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

Step 5 – Set JAVA_HOME

JAVA_HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(readlink -f $(which java))))
echo "export JAVA_HOME=$JAVA_HOME" >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$JAVA_HOME/bin' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
echo $JAVA_HOME

Step 6 – Compile and Run a Java Program

cat > Hello.java << 'EOF'
public class Hello {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Hello from Java " + Runtime.version().major() + " on Ubuntu 26.04!");
    }
}
EOF
javac Hello.java
java Hello

Step 7 – Install Maven and Gradle

sudo apt install maven -y
mvn --version

# Gradle (latest via SDKMAN):
curl -s 'https://get.sdkman.io' | bash
source ~/.sdkman/bin/sdkman-init.sh
sdk install gradle
gradle --version

Conclusion

Java 24 (OpenJDK) is installed on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. Use update-alternatives to switch between JDK versions per project, and configure Maven or Gradle for dependency management and build automation.

How to Install Java 24 (OpenJDK) on Ubuntu 26.04