How to Install Oracle JDK on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Oracle JDK

You can install Oracle JDK on Ubuntu 24.04 by downloading ⬇️ the latest Java SE Development Kit package directly from the Oracle website and running a few commands in your terminal. Make sure to note your specific version number during this process so you can set up the file paths correctly.

Download the ⬇️ latest  Java SE Development Kit 23 release.

If a newer version number is available, choose that one instead.

You can install the 💿 Java DEB package by executing the commands below. As of this writing, the latest version of the Java JDK is 23.

cd /tmp
wget --no-check-certificate -c --header  "Cookie: oraclelicense=accept-securebackup-cookie" "https://download.oracle.com/java/23/latest/jdk-23_linux-x64_bin.deb"

Once you have downloaded the correct archive package for your system, run the commands below to install Oracle Java.

Again, the current latest version is jdk-23

sudo apt install ./jdk-23_linux-x64_bin.deb

After installing all the packages, run the command below to configure Ubuntu so that Oracle JDK can function properly, including setting the JAVA_HOME variable and the environment PATH.

sudo tee -a /etc/profile.d/java.sh <<'EOF'
export JAVA_HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(readlink -f $(which javac))))
export PATH=$PATH:$JAVA_HOME/bin
EOF

Activate the script by running the command below.

sudo -s
source /etc/profile.d/java.sh

Test Oracle JDK

You can test Oracle JDK on Ubuntu to confirm the installation worked by opening your terminal and running a quick version check command. Type java --version and press Enter to see your installed build details and verify the system recognizes the software.

java --version

It should output similar lines shown below.

java 23.0.2 2025-01-21
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 23.0.2+7-58)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.0.2+7-58, mixed mode, sharing)

Oracle JDK is installed and ready to use.

Choose the default

You can choose the default Java version on Ubuntu when multiple releases are installed by running the update alternatives tool in your terminal. This command lets you view a numbered list of all available Java builds on your system and pick your preferred default.

sudo update-alternatives --config java

Select the Java version you wish to use as the default.

  Selection    Path                                         Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/lib/jvm/jdk-23.0.2-oracle-x64/bin/java   385892352 auto mode
  1            /usr/lib/jvm/jdk-23.0.2-oracle-x64/bin/java   385892352 manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: 

sudo update-alternatives --config javac

Choose the javac version you want to set as default.

  Selection    Path                                          Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/lib/jvm/jdk-23.0.2-oracle-x64/bin/javac   385892352 auto mode
  1            /usr/lib/jvm/jdk-23.0.2-oracle-x64/bin/javac   385892352 manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: 

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• Installing Oracle JDK on Ubuntu allows developers to leverage a robust and high-performance environment for Java application development.
• Following the outlined steps ensures a proper setup, including the Java Home and Path configurations.
• Testing the installation with the java --version command verifies that Oracle JDK is running correctly.
• The update-alternatives command simplifies managing multiple JDK installations, allowing easy selection of the desired version.
• With Oracle JDK successfully installed and configured, you can start developing Java applications efficiently.