How to check java version on windows

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Java remains the second-most popular coding language in the world according to the PYPL Index, and it ranks third among skilled professionals to develop high-performance applications across multiple platforms — only C and Python score higher.

As a result, you’ll often find Java running in the background of many Mac or Windows systems. However, if the version of Java you have isn’t up to date, applications may not work as intended — or may refuse to open at all.

In this piece, we’ll walk you through how to check your Java version in Mac and Windows to make sure the Java you’ve got is the one you need.

When it comes to Windows, there are two easy ways to check your Java version:

1. Check the Java Version Using the Control Panel

2. Check the Java Version Using the Command Line

If you’re a Mac user, you’ve also got two simple options:

1. Check the Java Version Using System Preferences

2. Check the Java Version Using the Terminal

Let’s break down each method in more detail.

How to Check Java Version in Windows

1. Check the Java Version Using the Control Panel

If you’re a Windows user, the Control Panel approach is quick and easy.

First, click on the magnifying glass icon at the bottom-left of your desktop.

Next, type in “About Java” in the search bar that appears, then click on the “About Java” app that appears. If it doesn’t come up, try “Configure Java”. If you’re still having no luck, you probably don’t have Java installed.

Once you click through on About Java or Configure Java, you’ll see a pop-up window indicating the current version and build number.

2. Check the Java Version Using the Command Line

You can also check your Java version in Windows using the command line.

First, click on the magnifying glass and type “cmd”, then click on the Command Line app icon that appears.

Now, enter the command java -version and you’ll see the version of Java listed.

The video below not only covers these two common methods but an additional third method as well. 

How to Check Java Version in Mac

1. Check the Java Version Using System Preferences

To check your Java version on a Mac without leaving the GUI, start by clicking the Apple icon in the top left-hand corner of your screen, then select “System Preferences.”

Next, find and click on the Java icon in the list of programs shown.

Finally, click on the “About” button to see the version of Java you’re currently running.

2. Check the Java Version Using the Terminal

Checking your Java version on Mac using the terminal is similar to using the Windows command line.

First, find and click on the spotlight search bar in the top-right corner of your screen, then type in “terminal” and click on the terminal icon.

This will bring up the command line. From here, you enter the same command as in Windows, java -version to get your current version details.

Worth noting? On both Windows and Mac devices, you can use the command javac -version to check the version of your primary Java compiler. This video can show you how: 

Checking Your Java Version

And there you have it: Four simple ways to quickly check your Java version and make sure you’ve got the newest, freshest Java served up and ready to go.

Java is a programming language that is platform-independent, popular, simple, secure, and statically typed. Before discussing let’s clear Java language needs a runtime platform so before going ahead let’s clear how java is present on the machine.

Java language comprises three components mainly:

• Java Development Kit
• Java Runtime Environment
• Java Virtual Machine 
   

Runtime Concepts than only we will check whether Java is there on the Platform (Operating System + Architecture)

1. Java Virtual Machine

This is a machine–specific software which is responsible for byte code on that machine and converts it into machine-specific instructions.

JVM is different for Windows 
JVM is different for Linux
JVM is different for Different Platforms

So as a programmer we don’t need to check presence on the machine as it is pre-installed in the machine. It is responsible for running Java code line by line.

2. Java Runtime Environment

It is simply a package that provides an environment to only run our java code on the machine. No development takes place here because of the absence of developmental tools.

3. Java Development Kit 

It is also a package that provides an environment to develop and execute where JRE is a part of it along with developmental tools.

• JDK = JRE + Developmental Tools
• JRE = JVM + Library Classes

Now, The first and Foremost step is to check the Java Development Kit in Windows which is also known as JDK. There are lots of versions of Java. Depending upon the operating system methods there are several methods to find the version of Installed JAVA on your Machine:

Let us discuss 3 standard methods in Windows

1. User needs to open Command Prompt and enter- ‘java -version’
2. Open control panel and lookup for Java
3. Directories method- Click the Menu ‘Start’ and typing About.java or readme file

Taking one by one, showcasing in-depth individually

1. Command Prompt

The CMD (Command Interpreter is a command-line Interface. It supports a set of commands and utilities; and has its own programming language for writing batch files. Open CMD and search java -version. First, we have to an environment variable to the installed path location of the java folder. Otherwise, it will show invalid command. It is called ‘Terminal’ in the case of mac operating systems.

java -version  // CMD/Terminal command to check java version on the machine

In the case of Windows OS: It is showing java is installed on the machine with version 1.8.0 (See carefully at line number 5)

“1.8.0_144”  is the version of the java

In the case of macOS: It is showing java is installed on the machine with version 14.0.1 ( see carefully at line number 2)

Second Method: 

• Open Control Panel and there is an option of the java on the interface of the control panel
• Click on the java option and click about a small pop window will appear

In the case of Windows:

In the case of Mac: Click on the Java icon downside. System preferences in mac are the same as the Control panel in Windows. 

Third Method:

Search Program and features in the control panel and search JAVA Named option

In the case of Windows: Simply custom search- About Java

In the case of Mac: 

Press the command button followed by a spacebar without lifting fingers from the command button.

A popup box will appear for less than a second followed by another pop-up as shown below:

Verify java version on Linux, Windows or Mac in multiple ways. You can even verify Java version online, by even using a browser. Java commands and Java Gui are the most popular ways to verify Java version. In Windows, Linux and Mac, commands and GUI differs somewhat. Lets see how we can verify Java installation is complete and what version is installed on your machine

Java version is verified using the command ‘java -version’ on windows, Mac and Linux. From GUI, Java control panel’s about section, Java version is clearly visible. Oracle’s online page for Java verification is the fastest way to check Java version, using Java enabled browser.

Steps to Verify Java version on windows using Java control panel

1. Click on start button and start menu.
2. Navigate through the ‘applications and programs’ listed unless you see the Java folder
3. Click on Java folder, choose ‘About’ option.
4. You can now check the Java installed version.

Steps to check Java version on windows using Command prompt

1. From start menu or run box, Open the Command Prompt.
2. Write the command: java -version
3. The output of this command will show the Java version installed on your window machine.

1. Click on start button and start menu.
2. Navigate through the ‘applications and programs’ listed unless you see the Java folder
3. Click on Java folder, Java control panel will be opened.
4. In General tab, press the ‘About’ button.
5. You can now check the Java installed version.

Steps to check Java version on Linux using Java control panel

1. In Linux, search the application “Java control panel”
2. From the search list, Open the Java control panel.
3. On General tab, press the button ‘About…’
4. It will open a popup which will show the installed Java version and details.

Steps to check Java version on Linux using terminal

1. Press ALT+CTRL+T  or Open the terminal from search.
2. Enter the command:  java -version 
3. The terminal will show the installed Java version on your Linux machine.

Steps to check Java version on Mac using Java control panel

1. From upper left side of screen, select the Apple icon
2. Navigate to System preferences.
3. Press Java icon, it will launch Java control panel
4. In General tab, press the button ‘About’
5. You will see open a popup with details of Java installed version.

Steps to check Java version on Mac using terminal

1. Open the terminal window.
2. Enter this command: java -version
3. The terminal window will show the installed version of Java on your Mac machine.

Steps to check Java version online

1. Open the oracle’s Java verification web page.
2. Press the button ‘Verify Java version’
3. Accept the agreement and press Continue button
4. Select Run to continue option
5. The web page will show the Currently installed Java version.
6. if you have recently finished Java installation, then restart your browser to enable, Java in the browser. Make sure JavaScript is enabled in the browser.

Where Java is installed?

You can find the Java installation path on Ubuntu using following command:

which javac

It will give path of Java installation directory, if you have multiple versions installed, then only the default Java version (set in your system) wll be displayed.

/usr/bin/javac

You can find the Java installation path on Ubuntu using following command:

where javac

It will give you Java installation path

C:optjdk-8.0.2binjavac.exe

How to switch Java version

You can have multiple installed versions of JDK on one machine. At any time, You can decide which Java version you want to make default version and should be used from command line automatically. The update-alternatives command is very helpful in switching between JDk versions, it will list all the installed Java versions. From that list, you can select which is the default version, you can want to keep.

sudo update-alternatives --config java

All available Java versions will be listed as shown below, with a sequence number. You can select any Java version using these sequence numbers. An Asterisk (*) mark shows that this Java version is currently being used as default version.

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

Selection    Path               Priority              Status
------------------------------------------------------------
  0        /usr/lib/jvm/java-11-openjdk-amd64/bin/java      1111      auto mode
* 1        /usr/lib/jvm/java-11-openjdk-amd64/bin/java      1111      manual mode
  2        /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java   1081      manual mode
  3        /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/bin/java          1081      manual mode

Press <enter> to keep current choice[*], or  type selection number: 

Java version history

The Java language has undergone several changes since JDK 1.0 also as numerous additions of classes and packages to the core library. The evolution of Java language has been governed by the JCP (Java Community Process), which uses JSRs (Java Specification Requests) to specify changes and propose changes, for additions to the Java.
In addition to the language semantics, lots of other changes have been made to the Class Libraries over the years, which has now grown from a couple of hundred classes to over three thousand. Entire new APIs, like Swing and Java2D, are introduced, and lots of of the first JDK 1.0 classes and methods are deprecated.

OpenJDKs list with download links

There are lots of OpenJDKs builds available, most of them are available to use freely for commercial purpose. But still few have different type od supports or licenses. Following is the list for different available OpenJDK builds.

What is Java Auto Update? How do I change notify settings?

Java Update feature is a feature that keeps your computer up-to-date with the newest Java releases. once you have auto update enabled, your system periodically checks for latest versions of Java. When a latest version is found we ask your permission to upgrade your Java installation. you can schedule how often to see for updates, or check manually at any time.

Change Automatic Java Update Settings

• Open the Java control panel window.
• Click the Update tab and open settings section.
• select the Check for Updates Automatically check box, To enable Java Updates automatically.
• For disabling Java Updates, un-select the Check box for Updates Automatically check box.

Change the Java Update Schedule

• You can also change the frequency for Java updates: monthly (default), weekly, or daily
• On Update tab in Java Control panel window, click button Advanced
• Advanced Settings dialog appears for the Automatic Update .Change frequency here using date and time for the Java Update and Click OK.
• Java Update scheduler will now check for latest Java updates and notify you at the scheduled frequency.
• For daily updates, you’ll select the time of the day for the update. For weekly updates, you’ll select the day of the week and therefore the time of the day. For monthly updates, you’ll select the day of the week and therefore the time of the day. Monthly updates check weekly and notify you within 30 days that an update is out there , however, if an update is taken into account critical you’re notified within every week of its release.

Change the Notification Options

There are two choices for changing notification options:
Before installing: Use this feature to download automatically and be notified before installing the Java update.
Before downloading: this is often the default . Use this feature to be notified before downloading and installing the Java update.

Manual Update Option

From the Java control panel Update tab, you’ll manually check for an update any time by clicking on the Update Now button located at rock bottom of the Update tab on the Java control panel . Java Update can only be run if the system is connected to the web . Alternatively, you’ll go to Java.com to find the newest Java version. After updating the Java version, you would like to shut and restart the Java control panel to load the updated control panel .

Conclusion

The choice of Java version depends upon your requirements and decision, but to verify Java version, options remain the same. Same commands can be used to check Java version for any JDK. If you want o have new Java installation and looking for Java installation detailed steps, then you can refer to my detailed guide on How to install Java.

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