Installing Java 7 on Ubuntu

Question

This answer used to describe how to install Oracle Java 7. This no longer works since Oracle end-of-lifed Java 7 and put the binary downloads for versions with security patches behind a paywall. Also, OpenJDK has grown up and is a more viable alternative nowadays.

In Ubuntu 16.04 and higher, Java 7 is no longer available. Usually you're best off installing Java 8 (or 9) instead.

sudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jre

or, f you also want the compiler, get the jdk:

sudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jdk

In Trusty, the easiest way to install Java 7 currently is to install OpenJDK package:

sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jre

or, for the jdk:

sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jdk

If you are specifically looking for Java 7 on a version of Ubuntu that no longer supports it, see https://askubuntu.com/questions/761127/how-do-i-install-openjdk-7-on-ubuntu-16-04-or-higher .

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jdk

and if you already have other JDK versions installed

sudo update-alternatives --config java

then select the Java 7 version.

In addition to flup's answer you might also want to run the following to set JAVA_HOME and PATH:

sudo apt-get install oracle-java7-set-default

More information at: http://www.ubuntuupdates.org/package/webupd8_java/precise/main/base/oracle-java7-set-default

Download java jdk<version>-linux-x64.tar.gz file from https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html.

Extract this file where you want. like: /home/java(Folder name created by user in home directory).

Now open terminal. Set path JAVA_HOME=path of your jdk folder(open jdk folder then right click on any folder, go to properties then copy the path using select all) and paste here.

Like: JAVA_HOME=/home/xxxx/java/JDK1.8.0_201

Let Ubuntu know where our JDK/JRE is located.

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /home/xxxx/java/jdk1.8.0_201/bin/java 20000
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /home/xxxx/java/jdk1.8.0_201/bin/javac 20000
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/javaws javaws /home/xxxx/java/jdk1.8.0_201/bin/javaws 20000

Tell Ubuntu that our installation i.e., jdk1.8.0_05 must be the default Java.

sudo update-alternatives --set java /home/xxxx/sipTest/jdk1.8.0_201/bin/java
sudo update-alternatives --set javac /home/xxxx/java/sipTest/jdk1.8.0_201/bin/javac
sudo update-alternatives --set javaws /home/xxxxx/sipTest/jdk1.8.0_201/bin/javaws

Now try:

$ sudo update-alternatives --config java

There are 3 choices for the alternative java (providing /usr/bin/java).

  Selection    Path                                  Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-oracle1/bin/java   1047      auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/gij-4.6                       1046      manual mode
  2            /usr/lib/jvm/java-6-oracle1/bin/java   1047      manual mode
  3            /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.7.0_75/bin/java      1         manual mode

Press enter to keep the current choice [*], or type selection number: 3

update-alternatives: using /usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.7.0_75/bin/java to provide /usr/bin/java (java) in manual mode

Repeat the above for:

sudo update-alternatives --config javac
sudo update-alternatives --config javaws