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Java 17 Installation Guide for Linux Users

This guide explains how to install the OpenJDK Java 17 on Linux using the command line. This guide was created using Ubuntu 22.04 but the steps for other Debian based Linux distros should be similar. This guide assumes you have super user access.

Installation

  • Update APT repositories
    • First we need to ensure our apt repositories are updated. Enter the following command in your terminal:
      sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
      Enter your password if prompted.
  • Install JDK
    • Install the Java 17 OpenJDK version by running:
      sudo apt install openjdk-17-jdk
      Note that the default installation location is usually /usr/lib/jvm/.
  • Verify Installation
    • To verify the installation, run:
      java -version

Switching between Java versions

If you have multiple versions of Java installed, you can switch between them using update-alternatives.

  • To see the currently active Java version run,

    java -version

  • To switch to a different installed version, run the following command.

    sudo update-alternatives --config java

    You should see terminal output like this:

    Follow the instructions to change to your desired version. For example, to use Java 11 in the image above, type 1 into the terminal.

  • If you don't have the desired version installed, you can search for it by running the following command:

    sudo apt-cache search openjdk | grep "\-jdk"

    You should see the available OpenJDK Java versions listed like so:

    Decide on one of the available versions and follow the same steps as above to install your desired Java version.

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