Java Platform, Standard Edition

JDK Installation Guide

Release 21
F80254-04
October 2024
Java Platform, Standard Edition JDK Installation Guide, Release 21

F80254-04

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Contents
Preface
Audience v
Documentation Accessibility v
Diversity and Inclusion v
Related Documents v
Conventions v

1 Overview of JDK Installation

2 Version-String Format

3 Installation of the JDK on Linux Platforms

General Notes About Installing the JDK on Linux Platforms from Archive Files 3-1
General Notes About Installing the JDK on Linux Platforms from RPM packages 3-1
System Requirements for Installing JDK on Linux Platforms 3-2
Installing the JDK on Linux from Archive Files, Debian Packages, RPM Packages, and
Oracle Linux Repositories 3-3
Installing the 64-Bit JDK on Linux Platforms 3-5
Installing the 64-Bit JDK Package on Debian-based Linux Platforms 3-5
Installing the 64-Bit JDK on RPM-Based Linux Platforms 3-6
Installation of Public Key on RPM-based Linux Platforms 3-7
Installation of Public Key on RPM-based Linux Platforms 3-7
Installing the 64-Bit JDK on Oracle Linux Platforms 3-8

4 Installation of the JDK on macOS

System Requirements for Installing the JDK on macOS 4-1
JDK Installation Instruction Notation for macOS 4-1
Determining the Default JDK Version on macOS 4-2
Installing the JDK on macOS 4-2
Uninstalling the JDK on macOS 4-3

iii
 Installation FAQ for macOS 4-3

5 Installation of the JDK on Microsoft Windows Platforms

System Requirements for Installing the JDK on 64-Bit Windows Platform 5-1
JDK Installation Instruction Notation for Windows 5-1
JDK Installation Instructions for Windows 5-1
Downloading the JDK Installer 5-2
Installing the JDK from the JDK .exe Installer 5-2
Installing the JDK from the MSI Enterprise Installer 5-2
Installing the JDK from the Command Line 5-3
Creating a Log File 5-3
Installing the JDK Silently 5-3
Beginning to Use the JDK 5-4
Uninstalling the JDK on Windows 5-4
Uninstalling the JDK in Silent Mode 5-4
JDK Installation Troubleshooting 5-5
System Error During Decompression 5-5
Characters That Are Not Part of the System Code Page 5-5
Cleanup the Registry After a Failed JDK Uninstall 5-5
Fixing Shim Situation when JDK 21 and JRE 8 are Installed 5-6

6 Installed Directory Structure of JDK

iv
Preface
Java Platform, Standard Edition Installation Guide describes how to install the Java
Development Kit (JDK) on Linux, Microsoft Windows, and macOS computers.

Audience
This document is intended for users who are installing any variant of the Java SE platform.

Documentation Accessibility
For information about Oracle's commitment to accessibility, visit the Oracle Accessibility
Program website at http://www.oracle.com/pls/topic/lookup?ctx=acc&id=docacc.

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or visit http://www.oracle.com/pls/topic/lookup?ctx=acc&id=trs if you are hearing impaired.

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Because of these technical constraints, our effort to remove insensitive terms is ongoing and
will take time and external cooperation.

Related Documents
See JDK 21 Documentation.

Conventions
The following text conventions are used in this document:

Convention Meaning
boldface Boldface type indicates graphical user interface elements associated with an
action, or terms defined in text or the glossary.

v
 Preface

Convention Meaning
italic Italic type indicates book titles, emphasis, or placeholder variables for which
you supply particular values.
monospace Monospace type indicates commands within a paragraph, URLs, code in
examples, text that appears on the screen, or text that you enter.

vi
1
Overview of JDK Installation
The type of installation depends on your requirement and the platform that you choose to
install.

Installation Requirements and Related Tasks

To develop or run Java applications, download and install JDK.

Version-String Format
To understand the version-string scheme that is used to distinguish various JDK releases, see
Version-String Format.

Installation
The JDK can be installed on the following platforms:
• Microsoft Windows
• Linux
• macOS
You can download the JDK from Java SE Development Kit Downloads page.
For supported processors and browsers, see Oracle JDK Certified System Configurations.
The JDK documentation is a separate download. See Java SE Documentation.

Microsoft Windows
Installation of the JDK on Microsoft Windows Platforms: Instructions include steps to install the
JDK on 64-bit Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Linux
Installation of the JDK on Linux Platforms: Instructions include installation from Archive files,
Downloadable RPM Package Files, and RPM Packages from Oracle Linux Repositories.

macOS
Installation of the JDK on macOS: Instructions include steps to install the JDK on the macOS
platform.

Directory Structure
To learn about the files and directories that are created after JDK installation, see Installed
Directory Structure of JDK .

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2
Version-String Format
Java SE platform has adopted time-based release model with the JDK being released every
six months.
As of JDK 10 and later, the format of the version string, which reflects the Java SE platform's
time-based release model, is $FEATURE.$INTERIM.$UPDATE.$PATCH.

• $FEATURE is the version number that is incremented for every feature release. The feature
release contains new features and changes to the existing features as specified by the
Java SE platform specification. The version number is incremented every six months. For
example, the version number for the March 2018 release is 10, the version number for the
September 2018 release is 11, and so on.
• $INTERIM is the version number that is incremented for every interim release, which
contains bug fixes and enhancements. An interim release does not contain incompatible
changes, feature removals, nor any changes to the standard APIs. The version number for
the interim release is always zero (0) as the six-month release model does not include
interim releases. However, this version number is reserved for future interim releases, if
any.
• $UPDATE is the version number that is incremented for an update release, which includes
fixes for security issues, regressions, and bugs in new features. The version number is
incremented one month after the $FEATURE release and every three months thereafter. For
example, the full version string for the October update release is 21.0.1, the full version
string for the January update release is 21.0.2, and so on.
• $PATCH is the version number that is incremented for an emergency patch release to fix a
critical issue.
The version string doesn't have trailing zero elements. For example, if the value of $FEATURE is
21, the value of $INTERIM is 0, the value of $UPDATE is 1, and the value of $PATCH is 0, then the
full version string is 21.0.1.

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Installation of the JDK on Linux Platforms
This topic describes the installation procedures of the JDK on the Linux platform, along with
the system requirements.
This topic includes the following sections:
• General Notes About Installing the JDK on Linux Platforms from Archive Files
• General Notes About Installing the JDK on Linux Platforms from RPM packages
• System Requirements for Installing JDK on Linux Platforms
• Installing the JDK on Linux from Archive Files, Debian Packages, RPM Packages, and
Oracle Linux Repositories

General Notes About Installing the JDK on Linux Platforms from

Archive Files
This topic describes general information about installing JDK 21 on Linux platforms.
Installing the JDK automatically creates a directory called jdk–
feature.interim.update.patch where feature (21),interim, update, and patch represent
corresponding values of version information.

Root Access
If you install JDK in a specific location such as /opt, you must log in with root credentials to
gain the necessary permissions. If you do not have the root access, either install the JDK in
your home directory or a sub directory for which you have the write permissions.

Overwriting Files
If you install the software in a directory that contains a sub directory named jdk–
21.interim.update.patch, the new software overwrites files of the same name in that
directory. Ensure that you rename the old directory if it contains files that you would like to
keep.

System Preferences
Installing the JDK from archive files doesn't configure the backing store for the system node of
Java Preferences API (java.util.prefs Java package). If this functionality of the JDK is
required, you need to manually configure it by making sure either /etc/.java/.systemPrefs or
jdk–21.interim.update.patch/.systemPrefs directory exists.

General Notes About Installing the JDK on Linux Platforms from

RPM packages
This topic describes general information about installing JDK 21 from RPM packages on Linux
platforms.

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System Requirements for Installing JDK on Linux Platforms

You can install only one version of JDK of the same feature release. If you try to install the
newer version of the same feature release while the older version exists, the installer uninstalls
the older version and installs the new version. For example, you can't install jdk-21 and
jdk-21.0.1 simultaneously. If you attempt to install jdk-21.0.1 after jdk-21 is installed, the
installer uninstalls jdk-21 and installs jdk-21.0.1.

Every update release will be installed in a separate directory, such as /usr/lib/jvm/jdk-

<VERSION>-oracle-<ARCH> directory, where <VERSION> is a full version string (example: 23,
23.0.1), <ARCH> equals x64 or aarch64. Additionally /usr/java/jdk-21 symbolic link that is
pointing to the installation directory is created for backward compatibility.

Note:
If you install an older version of a JDK when the newer version of the same feature
family already exists, an error is displayed, prompting you to uninstall a newer JDK
version if an older version has to be installed.

Root Access
You must log in with root credentials to install or update JDK.

System Preferences
By default, the installation script configures the system such that the backing store for the
system node of Java Preferences API (java.util.prefs Java package) is configured
in /etc/.java/.systemPrefs directory.

System Integration
The JDK installation is integrated with the alternatives framework. After installation, the
alternatives framework is updated to reflect the binaries from the recently installed JDK. Java
commands such as java, javac, javadoc, and javap can be called from the command line.

Using the java -version command, you can confirm the default (recently installed) JDK
version.
In addition, you can check which specific RPM package provides the java files:

$ rpm -q --whatprovides java

System Requirements for Installing JDK on Linux Platforms

See Oracle JDK Certified Systems Configurations for information about supported platforms,
operating systems, and browsers.

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Installing the JDK on Linux from Archive Files, Debian Packages, RPM Packages, and Oracle Linux Repositories

Installing the JDK on Linux from Archive Files, Debian Packages,

RPM Packages, and Oracle Linux Repositories
You can install the JDK on a Linux platform from archive files, debian packages, downloadable
Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) packages files, or RPM packages from Oracle Linux (OL)
repositories.
Installation can be performed by using one of the following processes:
• From archive files (.tar.gz): This allows you to install a private version of the JDK for the
current user into any location, without affecting other JDK installations. However, it may
involve manual steps to get some of the features to work. See the following table for the
options available for downloading and installing the JDK from archive files. The bundles
are available for Linux x64 and Linux aarch64 (64-bit ARM) systems. Install the required
bundle.
• From Debian packages (.deb): This allows you to perform a system-wide JDK installation
on Debian-based Linux platforms, and requires root access.
• From downloadable RPM packages (.rpm): This allows you to perform a system-wide
JDK installation on RPM-based Linux platforms for all users, and requires root access. See
the following table for the options available for downloading and installing the JDK from
Linux x64 and Linux aarch64 (64-bit ARM) RPM packages.
• From Oracle Linux repositories: This allows you to perform a system-wide JDK
installation on OL platforms starting from OL7 for all users, and requires root access. JDK
RPM packages in Oracle Linux RPM repositories are available for x64 and aarch64 (64-bit
ARM) OL platforms. Explicit download of JDK RPM packages is not required, the package
manager will do it automatically for you.
JDK RPM packages for Generic Linux platforms and Oracle Linux platforms differ. The
following table lists the differences:

Table 3-1 Difference between Generic Linux and OL platforms

Feature Downloadable JDK RPM JDK RPM package for Oracle

Package for Generic Linux Linux platforms
Platforms
Supported Linux Platforms Any RPM-based Linux platform. OL platforms starting from OL7
For example, Red Hat, SuSE

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Table 3-1 (Cont.) Difference between Generic Linux and OL platforms

Feature Downloadable JDK RPM JDK RPM package for Oracle

Package for Generic Linux Linux platforms
Platforms
Package name JDK image is packed in a single JDK image is split into two
package named jdk-21 packages: jdk-21-headless
and jdk-21-headful.
• jdk-21-headless is a
headless Java Runtime for
running non-GUI
applications.
• jdk-21-headful is headful
Java Runtime and
Development Tools for
developing and running all
types of applications.
jdk-21-headful package
requires jdk-21-headless
package. When these packages
are installed together, they
provide the same functionality as
the jdk-21 package for Generic
Linux Platforms.
Installation directory name /usr/lib/jvm/jdk-21- /usr/lib/jvm/jdk-21-
oracle-<ARCH> oracle-<ARCH>
Available for download from Java Yes No. The packages are hosted in
SE Downloads Oracle Linux RPM repositories.
Integration with the alternatives jdk-21 package registers java jdk-21-headless package
framework and javac groups with the registers java group with the
alternatives framework. alternatives framework.
jdk-21-headful package
registers javac group with the
alternatives framework.
Will automatically install the No. You need to manually install Yes. All required packages will be
required 3rd party packages? the required packages. installed automatically.

Downloading the JDK Installer

Access Java SE Downloads page and click Accept License Agreement. Under the
Download menu, click the Download link corresponding your requirement.
The following table lists the options and instructions for downloading and installing the JDK 21
release on a Linux platform:

Download File Instructions Architecture (CPU Type) Who Can Install

For Linux x64 systems: Installing the 64-Bit JDK on Intel - 64-bit Anyone
jdk-21.interim.update.p Linux Platforms
atch_linux-x64.tar.gz
For Linux aarch64 (64-bit Installing the 64-Bit JDK on ARM - 64-bit Anyone
ARM) systems: Linux Platforms
jdk-21.interim.update.p
atch_linux-
aarch64.tar.gz

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Installing the JDK on Linux from Archive Files, Debian Packages, RPM Packages, and Oracle Linux Repositories

Download File Instructions Architecture (CPU Type) Who Can Install

For Linux x64 systems: Installing the 64-Bit JDK Intel - 64-bit RPM-based Root
jdk-21.interim.update.p Package on Debian-based Linux
atch_linux-x64.deb Linux Platforms
For Linux x64 systems: Installing the 64-Bit JDK on Intel - 64-bit RPM-based Root
jdk-21.interim.update.p RPM-Based Linux Platforms Linux
atch_linux-x64.rpm
For Linux aarch64 (64-bit Installing the 64-Bit JDK on ARM - 64-bit RPM-based Root
ARM) systems: RPM-Based Linux Platforms Linux
jdk-21.interim.update.p
atch_linux-aarch64.rpm

Installing the 64-Bit JDK on Linux Platforms

You can install the JDK for 64-bit Linux from an archive file (.tar.gz). The .tar.gz archive file
(also called a tarball) is a file that can be uncompressed and extracted in a single step.
To install the 64-bit JDK on a Linux platform:
1. Download the required file:
• For Linux x64 systems: jdk-21.interim.update.patch_linux-x64_bin.tar.gz. For
example jdk-21_linux-x64_bin.tar.gz
• For Linux aarch64 (64-bit ARM) systems: jdk-21.interim.update.patch_linux-
aarch64_bin.tar.gz. For example, jdk-21_linux-aarch64_bin.tar.gz
Before you download a file, you must accept the license agreement. Anyone (not only root
users) can install the archive file in any location having write access.
2. Change the directory to the location where you want to install the JDK, then move
the .tar.gz archive file to the current directory.
3. Unpack the tarball and install the downloaded JDK:
$ tar zxvf jdk-21_linux-x64_bin.tar.gz
OR
$ tar zxvf jdk-21_linux-aarch64_bin.tar.gz
The Java Development Kit files are installed in a directory named
jdk-21.interim.update.patch.
4. Delete the .tar.gz file if you want to save disk space.

Installing the 64-Bit JDK Package on Debian-based Linux Platforms

You can install the JDK Debian package for 64-bit Linux from the (.deb) file.

To install the 64-bit JDK Debian package on a Linux platform:

1. Download the required file:
jdk-21.interim.update.patch_linux-x64_bin.deb. For example jdk-21_linux-
x64_bin.deb
Before you download a file, you must accept the license agreement. Anyone (not only root
users) can install the archive file in any location having write access.
2. Install the package using the following command:

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$ sudo dpkg -i jdk-21_linux-x64_bin.deb

The Java Development Kit files are installed into /usr/lib/jvm/jdk-<VERSION>-oracle-
<ARCH> directory. For example, JDK 21 releases for x64 will be installed in /usr/lib/jvm/
jdk-21-oracle-x64 directory.
3. Delete the .deb file if you want to save disk space.

Installing the 64-Bit JDK on RPM-Based Linux Platforms

You can install the JDK on 64-bit RPM-based Linux platforms, such as Red Hat and SuSE by
using a downloadable RPM package file (.rpm) in the system location.

Note:
You can install the JDK using a downloadable RPM package file on an OL system
too, but the preferred way to install the JDK on OL systems is from Oracle Linux RPM
repositories.

Ensure that you have the root user access. You can do this by running the command su and
entering the superuser password.
To install the 64-bit JDK on an RPM-based Linux platform:
1. Download the required file:
• For x64 systems: jdk-21.interim.update.patch_linux-x64_bin.rpm. For example,
jdk-21_linux-x64_bin.rpm
• For aarch64 (64-bit ARM) systems: jdk-21.interim.update.patch_linux-
aarch64_bin.rpm. For example, jdk-21_linux-aarch64_bin.rpm
Before you download a file, you must accept the license agreement.
2. Install the required package using the following command:
$ sudo rpm -ivh jdk-21_linux-x64_bin.rpm
OR
$ sudo rpm -ivh jdk-21_linux-aarch64_bin.rpm
Upgrade the required package using the following command:
$ sudo rpm -Uvh jdk-21_linux-x64_bin.rpm
OR
$ sudo rpm -Uvh jdk-21_linux-aarch64_bin.rpm

Note:
JDK 21 can coexist with other feature releases of JDK. For each version release,
a separate directory is created, the default directory being /usr/lib/jvm/jdk-
<VERSION>-oracle-<ARCH>. For example, JDK 21 releases for x64 will be
installed in /usr/lib/jvm/jdk-21-oracle-x64 directory.

3. Delete the .rpm file if you want to save disk space.

It is not required to reboot.

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Installation of Public Key on RPM-based Linux Platforms

From JDK version 8, the JDK RPMs are signed with OL keys. RPMs installed on Linux
distributions other than OL may display a warning message indicating that security validation of
the package failed. This indicates that the public key used to sign this RPM needs to be
installed in the system.
A sample warning message and the public key installation steps are as follows:

Sample Warning Message

jdk-21.0.3_linux-aarch64_bin.rpm: Header V3 RSA/SHA256 Signature, key

ID ec551f03: NOKEY

Installation Steps
1. Download the key file from https://yum.oracle.com/RPM-GPG-KEY-oracle-ol7 using the
following command:

wget https://yum.oracle.com/RPM-GPG-KEY-oracle-ol7

2. Install the key using the following command:

sudo rpm --import RPM-GPG-KEY-oracle-ol7

Note:
Public key installation needs to be done only once. The key installation is persistent
across reboots.

Installation of Public Key on RPM-based Linux Platforms

From JDK version 8, the JDK RPMs are signed with OL keys. RPMs installed on Linux
distributions other than OL may display a warning message indicating that security validation of
the package failed. This indicates that the public key used to sign this RPM needs to be
installed in the system.
A sample warning message and the public key installation steps are as follows:

Sample Warning Message

jdk-21.0.3_linux-aarch64_bin.rpm: Header V3 RSA/SHA256 Signature, key

ID ec551f03: NOKEY

Installation Steps
1. Download the key file from https://yum.oracle.com/RPM-GPG-KEY-oracle-ol7 using the
following command:

wget https://yum.oracle.com/RPM-GPG-KEY-oracle-ol7

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2. Install the key using the following command:

sudo rpm --import RPM-GPG-KEY-oracle-ol7

Note:
Public key installation needs to be done only once. The key installation is persistent
across reboots.

Installing the 64-Bit JDK on Oracle Linux Platforms

There are two OL-specific JDK RPM packages, jdk-21-headless and jdk-21-headful. When
these packages are installed together, they provide full JDK functionality.
Install jdk-21-headless package if you only need headless Java Runtime for running non-GUI
applications.
Install jdk-21-headful package if you need full JDK functionality for running any Java
application and development.

Note:
The jdk-21-headful package depends on jdk-21-headless, hence installing
jdk-21-headful package will result in the automatic installation of jdk-21-headless,
if it is not installed yet.

To install the 64-bit JDK headless on an Oracle Linux platform use either dnf or yum command:
sudo dnf install jdk-21-headless

OR
sudo yum install jdk-21-headless

To install the 64-bit JDK headful on an Oracle Linux platform use the following command:
sudo dnf install jdk-21-headful

OR
sudo yum install jdk-21-headful

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Installation of the JDK on macOS
The JDK supports both Intel-based (x64) and Apple Silicon (AArch64) Mac computers.
This topic includes the following sections:
• System Requirements for Installing the JDK on macOS
• JDK Installation Instruction Notation for macOS
• Determining the Default JDK Version on macOS
• Installing the JDK on macOS
• Uninstalling the JDK on macOS
• Installation FAQ for macOS

System Requirements for Installing the JDK on macOS

For supported processors and browsers, see Oracle JDK Certified Systems Configurations.

JDK Installation Instruction Notation for macOS

JDK installers now support only one version of any Java feature release. You can't install
multiple versions of the same feature release.
For example, you can't install jdk-21 and jdk-21.0.1 simultaneously. If you attempt to install
jdk-21.0.1 after jdk-21 is installed, the installer uninstalls jdk-21 and installs jdk-21.0.1.

Note:
If you install an older version of a JDK when the newer version of the same feature
family already exists, an error is displayed, prompting you to uninstall a newer JDK
version if an older version has to be installed.

JDK is installed in /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-<FEATURE>.jdk where

<FEATURE> is the feature release number. For example, JDK 21.0.1 is installed in /Library/
Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-21.jdk.

macOS x64 systems:

• jdk-<FEATURE>_macos-x64_bin.dmg
OR
• jdk-<FEATURE>_macos-x64_bin.tar.gz
This string becomes:

jdk-21_macos-x64_bin.dmg

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Determining the Default JDK Version on macOS

OR

jdk-21_macos-x64_bin.tar.gz

macOS aarch64 (64-bit ARM) systems:

• jdk-<FEATURE>_macos-aarch64_bin.dmg
OR
• jdk-<FEATURE>_macos-aarch64_bin.tar.gz
This string becomes:

jdk-21_macos-aarch64_bin.dmg

OR

jdk-21_macos-aarch64_bin.tar.gz

Determining the Default JDK Version on macOS

When starting a Java application through the command line, the system uses the default JDK.
There can be multiple JDKs installed on the macOS system.
You can determine which version of the JDK is the default by entering java -version in a
Terminal window. If the installed version is 21 Interim 0, Update 0, and Patch 0, then you see a
string that includes the text 21. For example:

$ java -version
java version "21"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 21)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.2-b04, mixed mode)

To run a different version of Java, either specify the full path, or use the java_home tool. For
example:
$ /usr/libexec/java_home -v 21 --exec javac -version

Installing the JDK on macOS

To install the JDK on macOS:
1. Download the required JDK .dmg or file from .tar.gz page:
• macOS x64 systems: jdk-<FEATURE>_macos-x64_bin.dmg OR jdk-<FEATURE>_macos-
x64_bin.tar.gz
• macOS aarch64 (64-bit ARM) systems: jdk-<FEATURE>_macos-aarch64_bin.dmg OR
jdk-<FEATURE>_macos-aarch64_bin.tar.gz
Click Accept License Agreement.
2. From either the browser Downloads window or from the file browser, double-click the .dmg
file to start it.

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Uninstalling the JDK on macOS

A Finder window appears that contains an icon of an open box and the name of the .pkg
file.
3. Double-click the JDK 21.pkg icon to start the installation application.
The installation application displays the Introduction window.
4. Click Continue.
The Installation Type window appears.
5. Click Install.
A window appears that displays the message: Installer is trying to install
new software. Enter your password to allow this.
6. Enter the Administrator user name and password and click Install Software.
The software is installed and a confirmation window is displayed.
After the software is installed, you can delete the .dmg or .tar.gz file if you want to save disk
space.

Uninstalling the JDK on macOS

To uninstall the JDK on macOS:
You must have Administrator privileges.

Note:
Do not attempt to uninstall Java by removing the Java tools from /usr/bin. This
directory is part of the system software and any changes will be reset by Apple the
next time that you perform an update of the OS.

1. Go to /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines.
2. Remove the directory whose name matches the following format by executing the rm
command as a root user or by using the sudo tool:
/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-21.interim.update.patch.jdk
For example, to uninstall 21 Interim 0 Update 0 Patch 0:
$ rm -rf jdk-21.jdk

Installation FAQ for macOS

This topic provides answers for the following frequently asked questions about installing JDK
on macOS computers.

1. How do I find out which version of Java is the system default?

When you run a Java application from the command line, it uses the default JDK. If you do not
develop Java applications, then you do not need to worry about this. See Determining the
Default JDK Version on macOS.

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Installation FAQ for macOS

2. How do I uninstall Java?

See Uninstalling the JDK on macOS.

3. After installing Java for macOS 2012-006, can I continue to use Apple's Java 6
alongside the macOS JDK for Java 21?
If you want to continue to develop with Java 6 using command-line, then you can modify the
startup script for your favorite command environment. For bash, use this:
$ export JAVA_HOME=`/usr/libexec/java_home -v 21`

Some applications use /usr/bin/java to call Java. After installing Java for macOS
2012-006, /usr/bin/java will find the newest JDK installed, and will use that for all of the
Java-related command-line tools in /usr/bin. You may need to modify those applications to
find Java 6, or contact the developer for a newer version of the application.

4. What happened to the Java Preferences app in Application Utilities?

The Java Preferences app was part of the Apple Java installation and is not used by Oracle
Java. Therefore, macOS releases from Apple that do not include Apple Java will not include
Java Preferences.

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Installation of the JDK on Microsoft Windows
Platforms
This topic includes the following sections:
• System Requirements for Installing the JDK on 64-Bit Windows Platform
• JDK Installation Instruction Notation for Windows
• JDK Installation Instructions for Windows
• Beginning to Use the JDK
• Uninstalling the JDK on Windows
• System Error During Decompression

System Requirements for Installing the JDK on 64-Bit Windows

Platform
For supported processors and browsers, see Oracle JDK Certified Systems Configurations.

JDK Installation Instruction Notation for Windows

JDK installers now support only one version of any Java feature release. You can't install
multiple versions of the same feature release.
For example, you can't install jdk-21 and jdk-21.0.1 simultaneously. If you attempt to install
jdk-21.0.1 after jdk-21 is installed, the installer uninstalls jdk-21 and installs jdk-21.0.1.

Note:
If you install an older version of a JDK when the newer version of the same feature
family already exists, an error is displayed, prompting you to uninstall a newer JDK
version if an older version has to be installed.

JDK is installed in /Program Files/Java/jdk-<FEATURE> where <FEATURE> is the feature

release number. For example, JDK 21.0.1 is installed in /Program Files/Java/jdk-21.

JDK Installation Instructions for Windows

You run a self-installing executable file to unpack and install the JDK on Windows computers.
Install JDK on Windows computers by performing the actions described in the following topics:
• Downloading the JDK Installer
• Installing the JDK from the JDK .exe Installer

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JDK Installation Instructions for Windows

• Installing the JDK from the MSI Enterprise Installer

• Installing the JDK Silently

Downloading the JDK Installer

Access the Java SE Downloads page and click Accept License Agreement. Under the
Download menu, click the Download link that corresponds to the .exe for your version of
Windows.
Download the file jdk-21.interim.update.patch_windows-x64_bin.exe.

Note:
Verify the successful completion of file download by comparing the file size on the
download page and your local drive. Alternatively, you can ensure that the
downloaded file's checksum matches the one provided on the Java SE Downloads
page.

Installing the JDK from the JDK .exe Installer

You must have administrator privileges to install the JDK on Microsoft Windows.
To run the JDK installer:
1. Start the JDK 21 installer by double-clicking the installer's icon or file name in the
download location.
2. Follow the instructions provided by the installer.
3. After the installation is complete, delete the downloaded file to recover disk space.

Note:
During installation, the following files are copied to your computer:

"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath\java.exe"

"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath\javaw.exe"
"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath\javac.exe"
"C:\Program Files\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath\jshell.exe"

Alternatively, you can run these executables directly from the JDK's bin directory.

Installing the JDK from the MSI Enterprise Installer

The JDK MSI Enterprise Installer is packaged as an .msi installer and runs with minimal
dialogs. It supports silent installation of the JDK and is customizable using command line
parameters.
You must have administrative permissions install JDK 21.

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JDK Installation Instructions for Windows

1. Download jdk-21_windows-x64_bin.msi from the Java SE Downloads page.

2. Double click the .msi file to run the installer.

Installing the JDK from the Command Line

You can install the JDK by downloading the appropriate Oracle JDK MSI Enterprise Installer for
your system and running it from the command line.
1. Download jdk-21_windows-x64_bin.msi.
2. Open an MS-DOS prompt with Administrative permissions.
3. Run one of the following commands depending on the type of installation that you want to
perform:
• Basic UI mode:

msiexec.exe /i jdk-21_windows-x64_bin.msi

• Silent mode:

msiexec.exe jdk-21_windows-x64_bin.msi /qn

Creating a Log File

You can use a log file to verify that an installation succeeded.
To create a log file describing the installation, append /L C:\path\setup.log to the install
command and scroll to the end of the log file to verify.
The following is an example of creating a log file:

msiexec.exe /i installer.msi /L C:\path\setup.log

In this example, the log is written to the C:\path\setup.log file.

Installing the JDK Silently

Instead of double-clicking or opening the JDK installer, you can perform a silent, non-
interactive, JDK installation by using command-line arguments.
Install JDK in silent mode using the command:

jdk.exe /s

Note:

• The notation jdk stands for the downloaded installer file base name, such as
jdk-21_windows-x64_bin.exe.
• You don't need to run the ADDLOCAL command as everything is installed by
default.

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Beginning to Use the JDK

Beginning to Use the JDK

Select Java Development Kit in the Windows Start menu to access information related to
Reference Documentation.
During JDK installation and uninstallation processes, Start menu items are updated so that
they are associated with the latest JDK version on the system.

Note:
Windows 10 has a Start menu; however, the menu is not available in Windows 8 and
Windows 8.1. The JDK and Java information in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 is
available in the following Start directory: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%
\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

Uninstalling the JDK on Windows

To uninstall JDK 21, use the Add/Remove Programs utility in the Microsoft Windows Control
Panel.

Uninstalling the JDK in Silent Mode

You can use the command line for uninstalling the JDK.
Use the following command to uninstall the JDK in silent mode:

MsiExec.exe/X{<UninstallString>}

For example, to uninstall JDK 18, run the command:

MsiExec.exe /X{B1405ADC-C0CA-5E63-B1E0-51F5A9A2627C}

To find <UninstallString>, see Finding the JDK Registry Key and UninstallString Value.

Note:

• This command can be run from anywhere.

• The msiexec.exe executable is located in the windows system directory.
• A reboot is required only if some files are in use during uninstallation; it is not
necessary everytime. However, to manually suppress reboot while uninstalling,
append REBOOT=R option to the command.
• Append /l "C:\<path>setup.log" option to the command if you want to create
a log file describing the uninstallation status.

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JDK Installation Troubleshooting

The Windows Installer dialog appears prompting you for confirmation. Click Yes to uninstall
JDK.

Finding the JDK Registry Key and UninstallString Value

1. Go to the Start and type regedit.
2. In the Registry Editor, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/
CurrentVersion/Uninstall.
Under the Uninstall folder, you will find many registry entries within curly brackets.
3. Click Edit and then Find.

Note:
Highlight the Uninstall folder before performing search for a particular registry.

4. Enter version string as value to find corresponding registry key. For example, enter jdk-21.
The registry key is highlighted on the right-hand side of the pane and values of various
uninstall strings are displayed on the left-hand pane.
5. Note the value of the UninstallString.

JDK Installation Troubleshooting

The topic provide tips for resolving issues while installing JDK.
• System Error During Decompression
• Characters That Are Not Part of the System Code Page
• Cleanup the Registry After a Failed JDK Uninstall
• Fixing Shim Situation when JDK 21 and JRE 8 are Installed

System Error During Decompression

If you see the error message: system error during decompression, then there might not be
enough space on the disk that contains the TEMP directory.

Characters That Are Not Part of the System Code Page

A 1722 error may occur if the installation directory is not part of the system locale's code page.
To prevent this, ensure that the user and system locales are identical, and that the installation
path contains only characters that are part of the system locale's code page. User and system
locales can be set in the Regional Options or Regional Settings control panel.
The associated bug number is 4895647.

Cleanup the Registry After a Failed JDK Uninstall

Sometimes, attempts to uninstall JDK through the Windows Add/Remove program leave
behind some Java entries in the registry that are not fully removed. These left behind registry
entries can cause problems in installing a new version of Java. The following are the methods
to cleanup registry entries:

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JDK Installation Troubleshooting

• Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter (Recommended Method)

• Manual Registry Edit
Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter (Recommended Method)
Run the Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter to repair the corrupted registry keys that
prevent programs from being completely uninstalled, or blocks new installations and updates.
Manually edit the registry (Use this only if the Fix It utility does not work)
Incorrectly editing your registry may severely damage your system. You should back up any
valued data from your computer before making changes to the registry.
To save the registry key before deleting, in the menu bar, select File and then Export. In case
you deleted the wrong registry key, you can restore the registry from your saved backup file by
selecting from the menu bar File and then Import .
To delete the registry key:
1. Determine the correct Registry Key. See Finding the JDK Registry Key and UninstallString
Value.
2. Highlight the key, Right click and select Delete.
3. Click Yes when prompted.
The JDK gets uninstalled.

Fixing Shim Situation when JDK 21 and JRE 8 are Installed

When you install JDK 21 and then install JRE 8, and then run the java -version command,
1.8.0 is displayed in the output instead of 21. This is because the javapath is placed before
JDK 21 location in the user environment path.
This is a bug with the JRE 8 installer. To fix this shim situation, uninstall and reinstall JDK 21.

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Installed Directory Structure of JDK
The modular runtime image of JDK 21 contains the following folders:

Note:
In macOS, the JDK installation path is/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-
interim.update.patch.jdk/Contents/Home.

/jdk-interim.update.patch.jdk
The root directory of the JDK software installation. This directory also contains Copyright,
README, and Release files.

/jdk-interim.update.patch.jdk/Contents/Home/
The root directory of the JDK software installation on macOS.

/jdk-interim.update.patch.jdk/bin
The executable and command-line launchers that are defined by the modules linked to the
image.

/jdk-interim.update.patch.jdk/conf
The .properties, .policy, and other configuration files intended to be edited by developers,
deployers, and end users.

/jdk-interim.update.patch.jdk/lib
The private implementation details of the runtime system. These files are not intended for
external use and must not be modified.
The lib directory on macOS or the lib/$ARCH directory on Linux contains the runtime
system's dynamically linked native libraries.

/jdk-interim.update.patch.jdk/jmods
The compiled module definitions.

/jdk-interim.update.patch.jdk/legal
The copyright and license files for each module.

/jdk-interim.update.patch.jdk/lib/src.zip
The archive that contains the source code for the Java platform.

/jdk-interim.update.patch.jdk/include
The C-language header files that support native-code programming with the Java Native
Interface and the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) Debugger Interface.

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Note:
Installing a JDK update release will replace the existing version of the same feature
release. For example, when you install JDK 21.0.1 after installing JDK 21, the
installer uninstalls JDK 21 and installs JDK 21.0.1. However, you can install JDK 21
and JDK 11 simultaneously. In the JDK installation location, jdk-21 and jdk-11
directories get created.

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