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How to Install Oracle JDK 8 On Debian

java8-debian

In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Oracle JDK 8 On Debian, manually.

Environment :

  1. Debian 7
  2. OpenJDK 1.7 is installed. (Switch to Oracle JDK 8 later)

At the time of writing, OpenJDK 1.8 is not included in the default apt-get repository yet. I just don’t like the default apt repository schedule, it constantly comes with older or outdated released.

Note
This guide is tested in other Debian derivatives like Ubuntu 14 and Mint 1.7.2.

1. Quick Check

1.1 A quick Java version check :


$ java -version
java version "1.7.0_75"
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (IcedTea 2.5.4) (7u75-2.5.4-1~deb7u1)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 24.75-b04, mixed mode)

$ javac -version
javac 1.7.0_75

An existing OpenJDK 1.7 is installed, no problem, we will show you how to switch it to JDK 8.

1.2 A quick search via apt-cache, there is no openjdk-8… yet.


$ apt-cache search openjdk

...
openjdk-7-jre - OpenJDK Java runtime, using Hotspot JIT
openjdk-7-jre-headless - OpenJDK Java runtime, using Hotspot JIT (headless)
openjdk-6-jre - OpenJDK Java runtime, using Hotspot JIT
openjdk-6-jre-headless - OpenJDK Java runtime, using Hotspot JIT (headless)
...

2. Get Oracle JDK 8

1.1 Visit Oracle JDK download page

1.2 Find a Linux x64 version, in this example, we will get the jdk-8u66-linux-x64.tar.gz via wget command.


$ pwd
/home/mkyong

$ wget --header "Cookie: oraclelicense=accept-securebackup-cookie" http://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/java/jdk/8u66-b17/jdk-8u66-linux-x64.tar.gz

If you don’t want to use wget (why?), just download the file and upload to your server manually.

3. Extracts to /opt/jdk/

3.1 Extracts it to path /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66


$ pwd
/home/mkyong

$ sudo mkdir /opt/jdk/
$ sudo mv ~/jdk-8u66-linux-x64.tar.gz /opt/jdk/
$ sudo cd /opt/jdk/

$ pwd
/opt/jdk/

$ sudo tar -zxf jdk-8u66-linux-x64.tar.gz 
$ ls -ls
total 177056
     4 drwxr-xr-x 3 root root      4096 Oct 27 13:05 .
     4 drwxr-xr-x 3 root root      4096 Oct 27 13:03 ..
     4 drwxr-xr-x 8 uucp  143      4096 Oct  7 00:40 jdk1.8.0_66
177044 -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 181287376 Oct  8 15:56 jdk-8u66-linux-x64.tar.gz
Note
Alternatively, try this one line extraction command.


$ sudo tar x -C /opt/jdk -f jdk-8u66-linux-x64.tar.gz

4. Install JDK

4.1 Make /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66 as a new JDK alternatives for both /usr/bin/java and /usr/bin/javac


$ sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66/bin/java 100
$ sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66/bin/javac 100

4.2 Update the default JDK, for both java and javac


$ update-alternatives --config java
There are 2 choices for the alternative java (providing /usr/bin/java).

  Selection    Path                                            Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
  0            /usr/lib/jvm/java-7-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java   1051      auto mode
* 1            /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66/bin/java                    100       manual mode
  2            /usr/lib/jvm/java-7-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java   1051      manual mode

Press enter to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: 1
update-alternatives: using /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66/bin/java to provide /usr/bin/java (java) in manual mode

$ update-alternatives --config javac
There are 2 choices for the alternative javac (providing /usr/bin/javac).

  Selection    Path                                         Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
  0            /usr/lib/jvm/java-7-openjdk-amd64/bin/javac   1051      auto mode
* 1            /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66/bin/javac                100       manual mode
  2            /usr/lib/jvm/java-7-openjdk-amd64/bin/javac   1051      manual mode

Press enter to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: 1
update-alternatives: using /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66/bin/javac to provide /usr/bin/javac (javac) in manual mode

5. Verification

Check Java version again.


$ java -version
java version "1.8.0_66"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_66-b17)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.66-b17, mixed mode)
root@hydra:/opt/jdk# 

$ javac -version
javac 1.8.0_66

Done. Enjoy your Lambda!

6. Extras… How to Upgrade?

Let say new jdk1.8.0_99 is released, and we want to upgrade it.

6.1 Download the JDK tar files and extracts it to /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_99

6.2 Self-explanatory.


# 6.2.1 Remove the existing alternatives - jdk1.8.0_66
$ sudo update-alternatives --remove java /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66/bin/java
$ sudo update-alternatives --remove javac /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66/bin/javac

# 6.2.2 Install new JDK alternatives - jdk1.8.0_99
$ sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_99/bin/java 100
$ sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_99/bin/javac 100

# 6.2.3 Update default JDK again, select /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_99
$ update-alternatives --config java 
$ update-alternatives --config javac

# 6.2.4 Remove the old JDK folders
$ sudo rm -rf /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_66/

How about upgrade to the upcoming Oracle JDK 9? you know what to do 🙂

References

  1. Using the Debian alternatives system
  2. How To Manually Install Oracle Java on a Debian or Ubuntu VPS
  3. Debian : Change default Java version
  4. Oracle JDK download page

About Author

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Founder of Mkyong.com, love Java and open source stuff. Follow him on Twitter. If you like my tutorials, consider make a donation to these charities.

Comments

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David Romney
6 years ago

Thank you. I had to do a `sudo update-alternatives –config java` instead of `update-alternatives –config java` due to this error `update-alternatives: error: error creating symbolic link `/etc/alternatives/java.dpkg-tmp’: Permission denied’.

saykiuzo
1 year ago

you made everything, man
i had so many problems to install jdk8 to run my java minecraft 1.12.2 in debian bullseye
thankyou very much man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sam
3 years ago

Thank you @mkyong.
My gradle is running my build now. You gave very very clear instructions.

Nasrulla
3 years ago

Thank you man. Your explanation is crystal clear. Easy to understand. It helps me a lot.

test
4 years ago

Wow thank you, i am total noob and nothing worked for me, but this finally worked!!!

Glen Le Baill
5 years ago

Thank you very much ! It was very helpful for me too.

Boris
6 years ago

Hi friend! Thanks for great manual, it was very helpful for me.
But one moment that a bit negative for me.. Maybe there is any way to physically remove open-jdk after this manipulations but leave oracle-jdk instead for dependency resolving? To get ability to install open-jdk depending packages using oracle-jdk?
PS: sorry for my english, it is not my native language.
Best regards, Boris (=

Darximor
7 years ago

There is not /opt/jdk/jdk1.8.0_121/bin/java… Why i don’t succes in any installation on Linux, i’m a piece of shit or what ? x(

mkyong
6 years ago
Reply to  Darximor

Download the JDK manually, and extracts it to /opt/jdk/…

José Siqueira
7 years ago

Thank you! Very easy to understand! Loved it! =D

??????? ????????
7 years ago

Thanks! Very helpful!

Shraddha
7 years ago

This worked perfectly for my Debian wheezy system – thank you!

ssauron00
7 years ago

Thank you.

Khalida ahmed baba
7 years ago

Thank you.

Mark
7 years ago

Thanks for a very well put together step-by-step

TechBeamers
8 years ago

Very detailed and useful explanation of Oracle JDK 8 installation on Debian. It will be helpful in our Selenium test automation stuff on Debian platform. Thanks.

>> Just shared this amazing stuff on our twitter timeline.

mkyong
8 years ago
Reply to  TechBeamers

Welcome.