How to Upgrade Oracle Java on Ubuntu Linux

32-bit Oracle Java instructions:

Become root user and copy the new compressed Oracle Java binaries from our download directory to /usr/local/java Type/Copy/Paste: cd /home/"your_user_name"/Downloads Type/Copy/Paste: sudo cp -r jdk-7u40-linux-i586.tar.gz /usr/local/java Type/Copy/Paste: sudo cp -r jre-7u40-linux-i586.tar.gz /usr/local/java Type/Copy/Paste: cd /usr/local/java

Next we are going to unpack our new version of Oracle Java binaries, in the directory /usr/local/java Type/Copy/Paste: sudo tar xvzf jdk-7u40-linux-i586.tar.gz Type/Copy/Paste: sudo tar xvzf jre-7u40-linux-i586.tar.gz

64-bit Oracle Java instructions:

Become root user and copy the new compressed Oracle Java binaries from our download directory to /usr/local/java Type/Copy/Paste: cd /home/"your_user_name"/Downloads Type/Copy/Paste: sudo -s cp -r jdk-7u40-linux-x64.tar.gz /usr/local/java Type/Copy/Paste: sudo -s cp -r jre-7u40-linux-x64.tar.gz /usr/local/java Type/Copy/Paste: cd /usr/local/java

Next we are going to unpack our new version of Oracle Java binaries, in the directory /usr/local/java Type/Copy/Paste: sudo tar xvzf jdk-7u40-linux-x64.tar.gz Type/Copy/Paste: sudo tar xvzf jre-7u40-linux-x64.tar.gz

At this point you should have two new uncompressed binary directories in /usr/local/java for the Java JDK/JRE listed as: jdk1.7.0_40jre1.7.0_40Along with:jdk1.7.0_25jre1.7.0_25

Modify your Linux system PATH:

Edit the system PATH file /etc/profile and add the following system variables to your system path. Use gedit, nano or any other text editor, as root, and open up /etc/profile Type/Copy/Paste: sudo gedit /etc/profileor Type/Copy/Paste: sudo nano /etc/profile

Scroll down using your arrow keys to the end of the file and add the following lines below to the end of your /etc/profile file in Ubuntu Linux,at this point you are going to be changing the version numbers from the old Oracle Java to the new version of Java, you will change the versions numbers in the following system PATH file /etc/profile:Modify the /etc/profile file:JAVA_HOME=/usr/local/java/jdk1.7.0_25PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:$JAVA_HOME/binJRE_HOME=/usr/local/java/jre1.7.0_25PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:$JRE_HOME/binexport JAVA_HOMEexport JRE_HOMEexport PATHChange to this:JAVA_HOME=/usr/local/java/jdk1.7.0_40PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:$JAVA_HOME/binJRE_HOME=/usr/local/java/jre1.7.0_40PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:$JRE_HOME/binexport JAVA_HOMEexport JRE_HOMEexport PATHSave the file and exit

Inform your system of the updated Oracle Java version:

Inform your Ubuntu Linux system where your Oracle Java JRE/JDK is located, now you will want to update the system to use Oracle Java 1.7.0_40 Type/Copy/Paste: sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/java" "java" "/usr/local/java/jre1.7.0_40/bin/java" 1 Type/Copy/Paste: sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javac" "javac" "/usr/local/java/jdk1.7.0_40/bin/javac" 1 Type/Copy/Paste: sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/javaws" "javaws" "/usr/local/java/jre1.7.0_40/bin/javaws" 1

Inform your Ubuntu Linux system, that Oracle Java JRE 1.7.0_40 must be the new default Java Type/Copy/Paste: sudo update-alternatives --set java /usr/local/java/jre1.7.0_40/bin/java Type/Copy/Paste: sudo update-alternatives --set javac /usr/local/java/jdk1.7.0_40/bin/javac Type/Copy/Paste: sudo update-alternatives --set javaws /usr/local/java/jre1.7.0_40/bin/javaws

Reload your system wide PATH /etc/profile by typing the following command: Type/Copy/Paste: . /etc/profile Note your system wide PATH /etc/profile file will reload after reboot of your Ubuntu Linux system

Test to see if the new version of Oracle Java was installed correctly on your system by running the following commands and noting the version number of the new Java update. Type/Copy/Paste: java -version this command displays the version of Java running on your system

You should receive a message which displays: java version "1.7.0_40"Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_40-b08)Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build build 25.1-b02, mixed mode) Type/Copy/Paste: javac -version this command lets you know that you are now able to compile java programs from the terminal You should receive a message which displays: javac 1.7.0_40

Afterwards, you have the option of removing the old Oracle Java JDK/JRE, by simply removing the directory's which hold the old Java JDK/JRE binaries. Type/Copy/Paste: cd /usr/local/java Type/Copy/Paste: sudo rm -rf jdk1.7.0_40 Type/Copy/Paste: sudo rm -rf jre1.7.0_40

Reboot your Ubuntu Linux system and your system will be fully configured for running and developing Java programs.