How to Set JAVA_HOME / PATH variables Under Linux Bash Profile

I have read lots of posting and none of them worked well. This one did so I decided to try to post it hopefully somebody else wont have to get this frustrated to get such a simple thing done.

1. To set the environment variables:

echo ‘export JAVA_HOME=/opt/jdk1.5.0_12′ > /etc/profile.d/jdk.sh
echo ‘export PATH=$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH’ >> /etc/profile.d/jdk.sh

2. You have to source the file you just created by typing:
source /etc/profile.d/jdk.sh

3. Test if Java environment is successfully installed by typing in this in the shell:
$ java -version
java version “1.6.0_03″
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_03-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) Server VM (build 1.6.0_03-b05, mixed mode)

You can also use which java to test:
$ which java
/usr/java/jdk1.6.0_03/bin/java

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How to install JDK (Java Development Kit) on Linux, In my case Fedora 10?

1. Log in as root:
su-
type in your password and the prompt will change from $: to #:

2. Download JDK from here:
http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp
As of time of this post, the most current JDK was:
Java SE Development Kit (JDK) 6 Update 11.
Select file jdk-6u11-linux-i586.rpm.bin to download it by providing your operation system and multilanguage.

3. Go to directory where you downloaded the file (In my case it is Download directory in /home/username/Download/)
The file is called jdk-6u11-linux-i586.rpm.bin

4. Change mode of this file so you can execute it by issuing:
chmod 755 jdk-6u11-linux-i586.rpm.bin

5. run the file by issuing:
./jdk-6u11-linux-i586.rpm.bin
This will show acceptance agreement, press untill you reach end they type “yes” and press and the installation will start.

6. When installation completes, you will need to find the actuall location of your JDK and make Fedora accept your choice. You can do this by issuing:
updatedb;locate javac |grep bin

This will list several options (at least two, the default one shipped with fedora, and the one you downloaded from Java Sun in step 2 above. In my case, I get:
[root@DRACHE Download]# locate javac |grep bin
/usr/bin/javac
/usr/java/jdk1.6.0_10/bin/javac
/usr/java/jdk1.6.0_11/bin/javac –this is what we downloaded in step 2 above, we want to make make Fedora recognaze this jdk.

7. To make Fedora recognaze your jdk (JVM), use alternatives command and issue following 3 commands one after another:
alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_11/bin/java 100
alternatives --install /usr/bin/jar jar /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_11/bin/jar 100
alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_11/bin/javac 100

These 3 commands set your java, jar and javac commands. You can use same to set other java executables if you want.

8. Configure alternatives to use the jdk you downloaded above in step 2 rather than the java shipped with Fedora by issuing:
/usr/sbin/alternatives --config java

This will present you with at least 2 options (one is the default jdk shipped with Fedora, other is jdk you downloaded in step 2 above). In my case, I have somehting like this but in your case, this can look different:
/usr/sbin/alternatives --config java

There are 6 programs which provide ‘java’.

  Selection    Command
-----------------------------------------------
   1           /usr/lib/jvm/jre-1.6.0-openjdk.x86_64/bin/java
   2           /usr/lib/jvm/jre-1.5.0-gcj/bin/java
*  3           /usr/java/default/bin/java
 + 4           /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_11/bin/java
   5           /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_11/bin/jar
   6           /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_11/bin/javac

Enter to keep the current selection[+], or type selection number:

9. Choose the one you downloaded in step 2 above and press . In my case, that is option 4.

10. repeat the same for jar and javac command as:
/usr/sbin/alternatives --config jar
/usr/sbin/alternatives --config javac

11. Issue:
java -version
and you will see something like this:

[dino@DRACHE Download]$ java -version
java version “1.6.0_11″
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_11-b03)
Java HotSpot(TM) Server VM (build 11.0-b16, mixed mode)

Now you are done. Hope this helps :)
Mustafa Buljubasic

Thanks to article from Angsuman Chakraborty from August 7th, 2007

Useful links on how to install JDK, Adobe Flash Player, MP3 players, Media Players, Java Runtime, and much more :
http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive/how-to-install-jdk-6-java-se-6-tomcat-in-fedora-core-6-fedora-7-in-5-minutes/
http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mjm-fedora-f10.html#java

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You need to setup global config in /etc/profile OR /etc/bash.bashrc file for all users:
[# vi /etc/profile]

Next setup PATH / JAVA_PATH variables as follows:
[export PATH=$PATH:/usr/java/jdk1.5.0_07/bin]
[export PATH=$PATH:/usr/java/jdk1.5.0_07/bin]

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Hi , set JAVA_HOME and PATH variables for every user under my Linux system(ubuntu 10.04)
open profile
$sudo vi /etc/profile;
insert into last line:
#set java environment
JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun // I am using jdk1.6.0.20
CLASSPATH=.:$JAVA_HOME/lib/dt.jar:$JAVA_HOME/lib/tools.jar
PATH=$PATH:$JAVA_HOME/bin
export JAVA_HOME
export CLASSPATH
export PATH
export GDK_NATIVE_WINDOWS=true #this is for setting eclipse
#env GDK_NATIVE_WINDOWS=1 #me too!
close and save it
#shell
source /etc/profile //let profile work
reboot
Test if Java environment is successfully installed by typing in this in the shell:
echo $JAVA_HOME
echo $PATH

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