What is the correct target for the JAVA_HOME environment variable for a Linux OpenJDK Debian-based distribution?

What finally worked for me (Grails now works smoothly) is doing almost like Steve B. has pointed out:

JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/default-java

This way if the user changes the default JDK for the system, JAVA_HOME still works.

default-java is a symlink to the current JVM.

If you use alternatives to manage multiple java versions, you can set the JAVA_HOME based on the symlinked java (or javac) like this:

export JAVA_HOME=$(readlink -f /usr/bin/java | sed "s:bin/java::")

The standard Ubuntu install seems to put the various Java versions in /usr/lib/jvm. The javac, java you find in your path will softlink to this.

There's no issue with installing your own Java version anywhere you like, as long as you set the JAVA_HOME environment variable and make sure to have the new Java bin on your path.

A simple way to do this is to have the Java home exist as a softlink, so that if you want to upgrade or switch versions you only have to change the directory that this points to - e.g.:

/usr/bin/java --> /opt/jdk/bin/java,

/opt/jdk --> /opt/jdk1.6.011