Setting Up the Java Environment for Development

Java remains a popular choice for software development due to its versatility and robustness. This article will guide you through the process of setting up the Java environment, focusing on using popular Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), installation of JDK, and setting up your system to recognize Java from the command line. The goal is to equip you with the necessary tools to start developing Java applications effectively.

Introduction to IDEs

When setting up your development environment for Java, you have several options for Integrated Development Environments (IDEs). Two of the most popular are Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA. These IDEs include their own Java Development Kit (JDK) (except in specific scenarios), so a separate JDK installation may not be necessary.

Eclipse Setup

Eclipse is known for its lightweight nature and extensive marketplace for additional plugins. Follow the steps below to set up Eclipse with its integrated JDK:

Install Eclipse from the official website. Download the appropriate version for your operating system.

Follow the steps provided in the Eclipse documentation to install the necessary components such as Maven, Git repository management, and other plugins through the marketplace.

For more specific needs, you can install plugins from the Eclipse marketplace to enhance your development environment further.

IDEA Setup

IntelliJ IDEA is a powerful IDE for Java development with robust features and a user-friendly interface. The community edition of IntelliJ IDEA comes with OpenJDK, making it suitable for most use cases.

Download IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition from JetBrains’ website. Follow the installation instructions for your operating system.

Once installed, you can access the JDK through the IDE’s settings or update the JDK version as needed.

Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is not sufficient for development; you need the JDK. Make sure to install JDK if you plan on developing or compiling Java code.

Java Development Kit (JDK) vs Java Runtime Environment (JRE)

JDK is the complete package for developing Java applications, containing everything needed, including tools for compiling and running Java applications. JRE, on the other hand, is just the runtime environment necessary for running Java applications. For development, you should always use JDK.

Installing JDK

JDK can be installed from the official Oracle website or from OpenJDK, which is open-source. OpenJDK comes with IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition, making it an excellent choice for beginners and small projects.

Windows Installation

Download JDK 15 or JDK 1.8 from the Oracle website or use OpenJDK.

Install JDK and place it in a location other than the default C:/Program Files folder.

Check that your JDK versions are installed by verifying the installation folder. JDK 1.8 and 15 should have files like these in the bin folder.

Setting Up the PATH Variable

For your system to recognize JDK from the command line, you need to set up the PATH variable.

Open the Start menu and search for env. Click on Environment Variables.

Under System Variables, click on Path and then click New.

Enter the path to your JDK bin folder and press OK.

Press OK again to close the System Variables window and then apply the changes via the Apply button.

Verifying JDK Installation

To verify that JDK is installed and recognized, open the command prompt and type the following:

java -versionjavac -version

If these commands produce output, your JDK is installed correctly.

Running Java Code

To run Java code, you can follow these steps:

Create a new folder and create a new file with the .java extension.

Open this file in your editor (e.g., VSCode) and copy-paste the code you want to run (since you might not understand it yet).

Save the file and open a new command prompt window.

Navigate to your folder using the cd command and compile your code using javac.

Run the compiled code using java.

Conclusion

Setting up the Java environment involves installing an appropriate IDE, such as Eclipse or IntelliJ IDEA, and configuring your system to recognize JDK from the command line. Once you have these steps in place, you can start developing and running Java applications. Understanding these basics is crucial for efficient Java development.