Getting Java

There are two choices of Java Development Kits on FreeBSD:

• OpenJDK

  The &openjdk; project provides a native open-source implementation of the &java; SE Platform and is available in versions 6 and 7 for all supported FreeBSD releases on the i386 and amd64 platforms. Both versions can be installed using the usual methods of package installation (openjdk6 and openjdk7)

  To install &openjdk; 7 package use the pkg(8) utility:

  pkg install openjdk7
  or
  cd /usr/ports/java/openjdk7
make install clean

  &openjdk; 7 is frequently updated, and it is suggested to refer to a revision log for detailed release history. Additionally, one may choose to review more information at FreshPorts.

  &openjdk; 6 is frequently updated, and it is suggested to refer to a revision log for detailed release history. Additionally, one may choose to review more information at FreshPorts.

• Oracle JDK for Linux

  This port installs the Java Development Kit from Oracle which was built for Linux. It will run under FreeBSD using the Linux compatibility.

  cd /usr/ports/java/linux-sun-jdk17
make install clean

  Note: Please note that due to the current licensing policy the Oracle JDK on FreeBSD binaries can not be distributed and you are only permitted to use them personally. For the same reason, the sources must be fetched manually.

• Legacy Native JDK

  The FreeBSD Foundation is no longer providing supported &java; &jdk; and &jre; packages based on Sun's partner sources. Older packages for &java; &jdk; and &jre; 5.0 and 6.0 are still available below for reference and legacy use only, but are no longer supported.

  Further information about downloading the unsupported binaries is available from the FreeBSD Foundation &java; Downloads page.

Documentation

• Creating Ports

I want to help by...

... testing

The best thing you can do is download the latest release, install it, and try all your favorite Java applications. If they don't work, see below.

... reporting a bug

If you find an application that does not work, or crashes, here are the steps you should follow before reporting it:

1. Try it again.
2. Check your settings for this application. Check to see if you made a mistake in starting it up.
3. Try it on a different platform. If you have access to a reference platform, try it there. (We need to determine if it is an application error, a Java bug, or a FreeBSD specific bug.)
4. Narrow down the problem. If it is your own code, narrow down the bug to the offending code. Otherwise, determine the steps required to reproduce the problem.
5. Notify the JDK porting team. Send email to freebsd-java@FreeBSD.org. Be sure to include the steps you have followed.
6. Finally, and most importantly, be willing to work with the team to fix the problem.

...writing documentation

Everyone can help here. If you have a suggestion to add to the documentation, write it up and send it to freebsd-java@FreeBSD.org