How to remove old version of Java and install new version

Just unpack the new Java version, for example into /opt. Then do

export JAVA_HOME=/opt/jdk1.8.0_45 
export PATH=$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH

Put these exports into the startup files for your shell and you should be set. It is not necessary to uninstall the Java 7 installation.


  1. To remove OpenJDK (the one you've already installed)

    sudo apt-get purge openjdk-\*

  2. Make a new directory for your new JDK

    sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/java

  3. Copy the file to the directory (you should be in that file path)

    sudo cp -r jdk-8u45-linux-x64.tar.gz /usr/local/java/

  4. Extract the file

    sudo tar xvzf jdk-8u45-linux-x64.tar.gz

  5. You should add this to your PATH now. To do that:

    a. Open /etc/profile : sudo gedit /etc/profile

    b. Scroll down (the end) and add the path where your jdk was installed

    JAVA_HOME=/usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_45 PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:$JAVA_HOME/bin export JAVA_HOME export PATH

    Save and exit

  6. Inform your Linux system where your Oracle Java JDK/JRE is located.

    a. Notify the system that Oracle Java JRE is available for use

    sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/java" "java" "/usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_45/bin/java" 1

    b. Notify the system that Oracle Java JDK is available for use

    sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javac" "javac" "/usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_45/bin/javac" 1

    c. Notify the system that Oracle Java Web start is available for use

    sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javaws" "javaws" "/usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_20/bin/javaws" 1

  7. Inform your Linux system that Oracle Java JDK/JRE must be the default Java.

    a. Set the java runtime environment for the system

    sudo update-alternatives --set java /usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_45/bin/java

    b. Set the javac compiler for the system

    sudo update-alternatives --set javac /usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_45/bin/javac

    c. Set Java Web start for the system

    sudo update-alternatives --set javaws /usr/local/java/jdk1.8.0_20/bin/javaws

  8. Reload your system wide PATH

    source /etc/profile

  9. Check the new version and you're done!

    java -version

Tags:

Linux

Java