Installing Oracle JDK on Ubuntu – Step-by-Step Guide
Introduction
Hey there!
Today I’ll walk you through how to install Oracle JDK on Ubuntu.
I normally use NetBeans, which comes bundled with the JDK, but when switching to Eclipse, you’ll need to install the JDK manually. So I documented the process as a personal cheat sheet — and I’m sharing it here in case it helps someone else!
This guide is for Oracle Java 8 (JDK 1.8.0_20) and has been tested on Ubuntu 15.10, but it should also work on Debian-based systems like Linux Mint and Debian itself.
Step-by-Step Installation
1. Check Your System Architecture
file /sbin/init
This will tell you if you are running a 32-bit or 64-bit system.
2. Check if Java is Already Installed
java -version
If you see something like:
java version "1.7.0_15"
OpenJDK Runtime Environment
Then you have OpenJDK, and for this tutorial, we’ll be removing it.
3. Remove OpenJDK and Create a Java Directory
sudo apt-get purge openjdk-*
sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/java
4. Download Oracle JDK
Go to the official Oracle website and download the appropriate version:
jdk-8u20-linux-i586.tar.gzfor 32-bitjdk-8u20-linux-x64.tar.gzfor 64-bit
5. Copy the Archive to /usr/local/java
cd ~/Downloads
sudo cp -r jdk-8u20-linux-x64.tar.gz /usr/local/java/
cd /usr/local/java
(Adjust filename depending on your architecture.)
6. Extract the Archive
sudo tar xvzf jdk-8u20-linux-x64.tar.gz
You should now see directories like:
jdk1.8.0_20
jre1.8.0_20
7. Add Environment Variables
Edit /etc/profile:
sudo nano /etc/profile
Add the following at the end of the file:
JAVA_HOME=/usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_20
PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:$JAVA_HOME/bin
export JAVA_HOME
export PATH
Save and exit (CTRL+X, confirm with Y, and hit ENTER).
8. Register Oracle Java with the System
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/java" "java" "/usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_20/bin/java" 1
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javac" "javac" "/usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_20/bin/javac" 1
sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javaws" "javaws" "/usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_20/bin/javaws" 1
9. Set Oracle Java as Default
sudo update-alternatives --set java /usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_20/bin/java
sudo update-alternatives --set javac /usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_20/bin/javac
sudo update-alternatives --set javaws /usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_20/bin/javaws
10. Reload the System Path
source /etc/profile
This will also load automatically after the next reboot.
11. Verify the Installation
java -version
You should see something like:
java version "1.8.0_20"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_20-b26)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.20-b23, mixed mode)
javac -version
Output:
javac 1.8.0_20
Conclusion
✅ That’s it! You’ve successfully installed Oracle Java JDK on your Ubuntu system. Now you’re ready to build and run Java apps using your favorite IDE — whether it’s Eclipse, IntelliJ, or NetBeans.
Restart your machine, and happy coding!
See you next time! 👋
¿Querés que ahora hagamos una versión más moderna para JDK 21 o una instalación vía SDKMAN? También puedo adaptar esta guía como parte de una serie de "Java en Linux".