How to install the latest java version in Raspbian (Stretch)

how-to-install-java-on-raspbian.md

Introduction

The default version of java provided in the latest raspbian images are outdated, so we are going to install from the ppa:webupd8team/java repository instead. Please note that add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java will not work, so we will need to add the repository manually.

Installation

1. Create the gpg key file and paste the following lines of text below

nano key.txt

-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: SKS 1.1.5
Comment: Hostname: keyserver.ubuntu.com
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=CziK
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----

2. Add the gpg key

sudo apt-key add key.txt

3. Add the repository to /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ and perform an update

echo "deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/java/ubuntu xenial main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/webupd8team-java.list
echo "deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/webupd8team/java/ubuntu xenial main" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/webupd8team-java.list

sudo apt-get update

4. Install Java 8 SDK

sudo apt-get install oracle-java8-installer 

5. Verify that we have successfully installed java

pi@raspberrypi:~# java -version
java version "1.8.0_161"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_161-b12)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 25.161-b12, mixed mode)

Switching between versions

If you have multiple jvms installed and you want to switch back to a specific version of java you can do the following:

Option 1

1. List the available versions in your system

update-java-alternatives -l

2. Copy the key of the first column of the result of your target version

java-8-oracle                  1081       /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle

3. Execute the set command using the previously copied key

update-java-alternatives -s java-8-oracle

Option 2

sudo apt-get install oracle-java8-set-default

More details here

I went through the hoops of installing the Oracle JRE, but the Unifi controller kept using the 'wrong' version of Java, so I too installed the OpenJDK version;

sudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jre-headless -y

and the controller restarted without any issues.

I went through the hoops of installing the Oracle JRE, but the Unifi controller kept using the 'wrong' version of Java, so I too installed the OpenJDK version;

sudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jre-headless -y

and the controller restarted without any issues.

This worked for me. Thanks @ConorMulhern!

Didn't work (for me.. ; Raspberry Pi 3B & Raspbian stretch)
Did all the bits and at the end, I got this:

pi@pi:~ $ sudo apt-get install oracle-java8-installer
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package oracle-java8-installer is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package 'oracle-java8-installer' has no installation candidate

How about a more direct approach?
I have Oracle's Java SE Development Kit 8 ( jdk-8u212-linux-arm64-vfp-hflt.tar.gz )
made exactly for Broadcom BCM2837 ( meaning arm & hardware floating-point ) .
How do I "install" it ? ( aka put it in the right places )

I already have openjdk-8-jdk-8u212 but I suspect it has a ?? problem because Netbeans IDE 8.1 (which is using this openjdk)
can't download the List of Plugins (nor any other update) from its Netbeans Distribution repository
( it errors Unable to connect to the NetBeans Distribution because of Zero sized file reported at )
http://updates.netbeans.org/netbeans/updates/8.1/uc/final/distribution/catalog.xml.gz
while it can download fine another similar list from the Plugin Portal which is on a different repository
http://plugins.netbeans.org/nbpluginportal/updates/8.1/catalog.xml.gz
That's why I want to try "a different" JDK .
P.S. - I found this
P.S. - For what it's worth, I discovered why my brand new Netbeans IDE 8.1 could not update from updates.netbeans.org
The link for that distribution/catalog file should be https , not http .
So edit that hyperlink ( Plugins/Settings/Edit/'Update Center Customizer'_form/URL/ ) and make it https
https://updates.netbeans.org/netbeans/updates/8.1/uc/final/distribution/catalog.xml.gz

I went through the hoops of installing the Oracle JRE, but the Unifi controller kept using the 'wrong' version of Java, so I too installed the OpenJDK version;

sudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jre-headless -y

and the controller restarted without any issues.

Worked for me. Thanks a lot!

I went through the hoops of installing the Oracle JRE, but the Unifi controller kept using the 'wrong' version of Java, so I too installed the OpenJDK version;

sudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jre-headless -y

and the controller restarted without any issues.

Worked for me. Thanks!

pi@pi:~ $ sudo apt-get install oracle-java8-installer
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package oracle-java8-installer is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package 'oracle-java8-installer' has no installation candidate

I'm getting the same error on a Raspberry Pi 2B running Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 \n \l

Any ideas?

The PPA for oracle jdk 8 has been discontinued. I suggest you install the openjdk version instead.

The PPA for oracle jdk 8 has been discontinued. I suggest you install the openjdk version instead.

root@pi-hole:/home/pi# java -version
Error occurred during initialization of VM
Server VM is only supported on ARMv7+ VFP

Looks like I will re-install my Pi with Raspbian 9 instead of 10.