How to Download and Install JRE (Java Runtime Environment) on Your Computer
If you want to run Java applications or applets on your computer, you need to have JRE (Java Runtime Environment) installed. JRE is a software package that provides the necessary libraries, tools, and components to execute Java programs. In this article, we will explain what JRE is and why you need it, how to check if you have it installed on your computer, how to download it from the official website, how to install it on your computer, and how to verify if it is working properly.
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What is JRE and Why Do You Need It?
JRE is one of the three interrelated components for developing and running Java programs. The other two components are JDK (Java Development Kit) and JVM (Java Virtual Machine). Let's see how they differ and relate to each other.
JRE vs JDK vs JVM
JDK is a set of tools for developing Java applications. It includes a compiler, a debugger, a documentation generator, and other utilities. It also contains a compatible JRE, which is required to run Java programs.
JVM is a software layer that runs on top of your operating system and interprets Java bytecode. Java bytecode is the result of compiling Java source code using the JDK. JVM enables Java programs to run on any platform that supports JVM, without requiring any modification.
JRE is a subset of JDK that contains only the essential components to run Java programs. It includes JVM, Java class libraries, and other resources. It does not include any development tools or compilers.
So, if you are only interested in running Java programs on your computer, you only need JRE. If you are planning to develop Java programs, you need JDK instead.
JRE Components and Functions
JRE consists of the following main components:
Class Loader: It dynamically loads all the classes needed to run a Java program.
Bytecode Verifier: It checks the format and accuracy of Java bytecode before passing it to the interpreter.
Interpreter: It creates an instance of JVM that executes the Java bytecode natively on your machine.
Deployment Solutions: They simplify the activation of Java applications and provide support for future updates. They include Java Web Start and Java Plugin.
Development Toolkits: They help developers improve their user interface. They include Swing, AWT, JavaFX, Image I/O, Sound, etc.
Base Libraries: They provide core functionality for Java programs. They include lang and util, networking, security, math, XML processing, etc.
How to Check If You Have JRE Installed on Your Computer
The easiest way to The easiest way to check if you have JRE installed on your computer is to use the command line. Depending on your operating system, you can follow these steps:
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Windows
Open the Command Prompt by pressing Windows + R keys and typing cmd in the Run box. Then, type java -version and press Enter. You should see something like this:
java version "1.8.0_301" Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_301-b09) Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.301-b09, mixed mode)
If you see a message like "java is not recognized as an internal or external command", it means you do not have JRE installed or it is not added to your PATH environment variable.
Mac OS
Open the Terminal by pressing Command + Space keys and typing terminal in the Spotlight search box. Then, type java -version and press Enter. You should see something like this:
java version "1.8.0_301" Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_301-b09) Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.301-b09, mixed mode)
If you see a message like "No Java runtime present, requesting install", it means you do not have JRE installed or it is not added to your PATH environment variable.
Linux
Open the Terminal by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T keys or clicking on the Terminal icon in the menu bar. Then, type java -version and press Enter. You should see something like this:
java version "1.8.0_301" Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_301-b09) Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.301-b09, mixed mode)
If you see a message like "bash: java: command not found", it means you do not have JRE installed or it is not added to your PATH environment variable.
How to Download JRE from the Official Website
If you do not have JRE installed on your computer or you want to update to the latest version, you can download it from the official website of Oracle, which is the company that develops and maintains Java.
Choose the Right Version for Your Operating System and Browser
The first step is to choose the right version of JRE for your operating system and browser. You can go to this link and select your platform from the drop-down menu. You will see a list of compatible browsers and operating systems for each version of JRE.
For example, if you are using Windows 10 and Chrome browser, you can choose Windows x64 Offline as your platform.
Accept the License Agreement and Download the Installer
The next step is to accept the license agreement and download the installer file. You can scroll down to the bottom of the page and check the box that says "I accept the Oracle Binary Code License Agreement for Java SE". Then, click on the download link that corresponds to your platform.
For example, if you chose Windows x64 Offline as your platform, you can click on jre-8u301-windows-x64.exe as your download link.
You will be prompted to save the installer file to your computer. Choose a location where you want to save it and click Save.
How to Install JRE on Your Computer
The final step is to install JRE on your computer using the installer file that you downloaded from the official website. Depending on your operating system, you can follow these steps:
Windows
You can install JRE on Windows using either online or offline installation methods.
Online Installation
This method requires an active internet connection during the installation process.
Double-click on the installer file that you downloaded from the official website.
A dialog box will appear asking if you want to run this file. Click Run.
A security warning will appear asking if you want to allow this app to make changes to your device. Click Yes.
A welcome screen will appear showing the progress of downloading and installing JRE.
A setup wizard will appear guiding you through the installation process. Click Next.
A destination folder screen will appear asking where you want to install JRE. You can keep the default location or change it by clicking Change. Click Next.
An installation options screen An installation options screen will appear asking if you want to install the Java Browser Plugin and the Java Web Start Launcher. You can check or uncheck the boxes according to your preference. Click Next.
A progress screen will appear showing the status of the installation.
A completion screen will appear confirming that JRE has been successfully installed. Click Close.
Offline Installation
This method does not require an internet connection during the installation process.
Double-click on the installer file that you downloaded from the official website.
A dialog box will appear asking if you want to run this file. Click Run.
A security warning will appear asking if you want to allow this app to make changes to your device. Click Yes.
A setup wizard will appear guiding you through the installation process. Click Next.
A destination folder screen will appear asking where you want to install JRE. You can keep the default location or change it by clicking Change. Click Next.
An installation options screen will appear asking if you want to install the Java Browser Plugin and the Java Web Start Launcher. You can check or uncheck the boxes according to your preference. Click Next.
A progress screen will appear showing the status of the installation.
A completion screen will appear confirming that JRE has been successfully installed. Click Close.
Mac OS
You can install JRE on Mac OS using either compressed archive or DMG installer methods.
Compressed Archive Installation
This method requires you to extract the files from a compressed archive and manually copy them to the appropriate location.
Double-click on the installer file that you downloaded from the official website.
A compressed archive file named jre-8u301-macosx-x64.tar.gz will be created in your Downloads folder.
Double-click on this file to extract its contents. A folder named jre1.8.0_301 will be created in your Downloads folder.
Open a Finder window and go to /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/.
If this folder does not exist, create it by clicking on File > New Folder and naming it JavaVirtualMachines.
Drag and drop the jre1.8.0_301 folder from your Downloads folder to the JavaVirtualMachines folder.
JRE is now installed on your computer.
DMG Installer Installation
This method requires you to run an installer program from a disk image file.
Double-click on the installer file that you downloaded from the official website.
A disk image file named jre-8u301-macosx-x64.dmg will be created in your Downloads folder.
Double-click on this file to mount it as a virtual drive. A window named Java 8 Update 301 will open.
Double-click on the icon named Java 8 Update 301.pkg to launch the installer program.
A welcome screen will appear introducing you to JRE. Click Continue.
A software license agreement screen will appear asking you to agree to the terms and conditions. Click Continue and then Agree.
An installation type screen will appear asking where you want to install JRE. You can keep the default location or change it by clicking Change Install Location. Click Install.
An authentication screen will appear asking for your administrator password. Enter your password and click Install Software.
A progress screen will appear showing the status of the installation.
A completion screen will appear confirming that JRE has been successfully installed. Click Close.
Linux
You can install JRE on Linux using either RPM package or compressed archive methods.
RPM Package Installation
This method requires you to use a package manager tool such as yum or zypper to install JRE from a RPM file.
Open a Terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T keys or clicking on the Terminal icon in the menu bar.
Navigate to the directory where you downloaded the installer file from the official website using the cd command. For example, if you downloaded it to your Downloads folder, type cd /Downloads and press Enter.
Type sudo rpm -ivh jre-8u301-linux-x64.rpm and press Enter. You may be asked for your password. Enter it and press Enter again.
The package manager tool will install JRE on your computer and display a message like this:
Preparing... ################################# [100%] Updating / Updating /etc/alternatives/jre_1.8.0 Updating /etc/alternatives/jre_1.8.0_exports Updating /etc/alternatives/jre_1.8.0_openjdk Updating /etc/alternatives/jre_1.8.0_openjdk_exports Updating /etc/alternatives/jre_openjdk Updating /etc/alternatives/jre_openjdk_exports Updating /usr/lib/jvm/jre-1.8.0-openjdk.x86_64 Updating /usr/lib/jvm-exports/jre-1.8.0-openjdk.x86_64
JRE is now installed on your computer.
Compressed Archive Installation
This method requires you to extract the files from a compressed archive and manually copy them to the appropriate location.
Open a Terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T keys or clicking on the Terminal icon in the menu bar.
Navigate to the directory where you downloaded the installer file from the official website using the cd command. For example, if you downloaded it to your Downloads folder, type cd /Downloads and press Enter.
Type tar zxvf jre-8u301-linux-x64.tar.gz and press Enter. This will extract the files to a folder named jre1.8.0_301 in your current directory.
Type sudo mkdir -p /usr/lib/jvm and press Enter. This will create a directory for JRE if it does not exist.
Type sudo mv jre1.8.0_301 /usr/lib/jvm and press Enter. This will move the JRE folder to the destination directory.
Type sudo update-alternatives --install "/usr/bin/java" "java" "/usr/lib/jvm/jre1.8.0_301/bin/java" 1 and press Enter. This will register JRE as an alternative for Java commands.
Type sudo update-alternatives --set java /usr/lib/jvm/jre1.8.0_301/bin/java and press Enter. This will set JRE as the default for Java commands.
JRE is now installed on your computer.
How to Verify If JRE Is Working Properly on Your Computer
After installing JRE on your computer, you may want to verify if it is working properly and if you have the latest version available. You can do this by following these steps:
Test a Java Application or Applet on Your Browser
One way to test if JRE is working properly on your computer is to run a Java application or applet on your browser. You can go to this link and click on the Verify Java Version button. You will see a message like this:
Congratulations! You have the recommended Java installed (Version 8 Update 301).
If you see a different message, such as "Java is not working" or "Java is out of date", it means you need to troubleshoot or update your JRE installation.
Check the Java Control Panel Settings and Updates
Another way to test if JRE is working properly on your computer is to check the Java Control Panel settings and updates. Depending on your operating system, you can access the Java Control Panel by following these steps:
Windows
Open the Start menu and type Java in the search box. Click on Configure Java in the results.
Mac OS
Open the System Preferences and click on Java in the bottom row.
Linux
Open a Terminal window and type /usr/lib/jvm/jre1.8.0_301/bin/ControlPanel and press Enter.
In the Java Control Panel, you can check and modify various settings related to JRE, such as security, network, temporary files, certificates, etc. You can also check for updates by clicking on the Update tab and then clicking on Update Now.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained how to download and install JRE (Java Runtime Environment) on your computer using different methods for different operating systems. We have also shown how to check if you have JRE installed and how to verify if it is working properly and up to date.
JRE is a software package that enables you to run Java applications and applets on your computer without requiring any development tools or compilers. It is a subset of JDK (Java Development Kit) that contains only the essential components to run Java programs, such as JVM (Java Virtual Machine), Java class libraries, and other resources.
We We hope this article has been helpful for you to understand and install JRE on your computer. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about JRE and their answers:
What is the difference between JRE and Java?
JRE is a software package that provides the necessary components to run Java programs. Java is a programming language that can be used to create applications and applets that run on JRE.
Do I need JRE to run Java programs?
Yes, you need JRE to run Java programs on your computer. However, you do not need JRE to run Java programs on your browser, as most browsers have their own built-in Java support.
How do I update JRE on my computer?
You can update JRE on your computer by using the Java Control Panel or by downloading and installing the latest version from the official website. You can also enable automatic updates in the Java Control Panel settings.
How do I uninstall JRE from my computer?
You can uninstall JRE from your computer by using the Add/Remove Programs feature in Windows, the Finder feature in Mac OS, or the Terminal feature in Linux. You can also delete the JRE folder from your /usr/lib/jvm directory.
Is JRE safe to use on my computer?
JRE is safe to use on your computer as long as you download it from the official website and keep it updated. However, you should be careful when running Java applications and applets from unknown sources, as they may contain malicious code or viruses. You can adjust the security settings in the Java Control Panel to protect your computer from potential threats. 44f88ac181