Install Java 8 (OpenJDK 8) on Ubuntu 24.04/22.04 [Guide]

Java 8 remains the runtime for a surprising number of production applications, build tools, and enterprise systems that haven’t migrated to newer LTS versions. If you’re running legacy Java apps on Ubuntu, OpenJDK 8 is available directly from Ubuntu’s repositories on both 24.04 and 22.04.

Original content from computingforgeeks.com - post 8014

This guide covers installing OpenJDK 8 (JDK and JRE), setting JAVA_HOME, and switching between multiple Java versions when you need both Java 8 and a newer JDK on the same system. For the latest LTS release, see the guide on installing Java 21 on Ubuntu.

Verified working: March 2026 on Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS with OpenJDK 1.8.0_482

Prerequisites

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or 22.04 LTS
sudo access
About 400 MB of disk space for the full JDK

Install OpenJDK 8 JDK

Update the package index and install the full JDK (includes compiler, tools, and JRE):

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y openjdk-8-jdk

The JDK package pulls in the JRE as a dependency, so you get both. Verify the installation:

java -version

The output confirms OpenJDK 8:

openjdk version "1.8.0_482"
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_482-8u482-ga~us1-0ubuntu1~24.04-b08)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.482-b08, mixed mode)

Check the compiler version too:

javac -version

This should show javac 1.8.0_482.

Install Only the JRE

If you only need to run Java applications (no compilation), install just the JRE for a smaller footprint:

sudo apt install -y openjdk-8-jre

The JRE is about half the size of the full JDK. Use it for production servers that only run compiled Java applications.

Set JAVA_HOME

Many Java applications and build tools (Maven, Gradle, Tomcat) require the JAVA_HOME environment variable. On Ubuntu 24.04, the OpenJDK 8 path is:

/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64

Set it permanently for all users by adding it to /etc/environment:

echo 'JAVA_HOME="/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64"' | sudo tee -a /etc/environment

Load the change in the current session:

source /etc/environment
echo $JAVA_HOME

You should see /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64 printed. For a single user, add the export line to ~/.bashrc instead of /etc/environment.

Switch Between Java Versions

Ubuntu’s alternatives system lets you install multiple Java versions side by side and switch the system default. This is common when some applications need Java 8 while newer tools require Java 17 or 21.

List all installed Java versions:

update-alternatives --list java

With Java 8, 11, 17, and 21 all installed, the output looks like:

/usr/lib/jvm/java-11-openjdk-amd64/bin/java
/usr/lib/jvm/java-17-openjdk-amd64/bin/java
/usr/lib/jvm/java-21-openjdk-amd64/bin/java
/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java

Switch to a specific version with:

sudo update-alternatives --set java /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java

The system confirms the switch:

update-alternatives: using /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64/jre/bin/java to provide /usr/bin/java (java) in manual mode

Don’t forget to also switch the compiler if you use javac:

sudo update-alternatives --set javac /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64/bin/javac

Remember to update JAVA_HOME accordingly when switching versions, especially for build tools like Apache Maven that depend on it.

Java Versions on Ubuntu 24.04

Version	Package	JAVA_HOME path	Status
Java 8 (LTS)	`openjdk-8-jdk`	`/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-openjdk-amd64`	Available, legacy support
Java 11 (LTS)	`openjdk-11-jdk`	`/usr/lib/jvm/java-11-openjdk-amd64`	Available
Java 17 (LTS)	`openjdk-17-jdk`	`/usr/lib/jvm/java-17-openjdk-amd64`	Available
Java 21 (LTS)	`openjdk-21-jdk`	`/usr/lib/jvm/java-21-openjdk-amd64`	Available, recommended
Java 25	`openjdk-25-jdk`	`/usr/lib/jvm/java-25-openjdk-amd64`	Available, non-LTS

For new projects, Java 21 is the recommended LTS. Java 8 is best reserved for applications that specifically require it, as it is approaching end of public updates from some vendors.

Test a Java Application

Quick compile-and-run test to confirm the JDK works:

cat << 'JAVA' > Hello.java
public class Hello {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Java " + System.getProperty("java.version") + " works!");
    }
}
JAVA
javac Hello.java && java Hello

The output confirms compilation and runtime both work:

Java 1.8.0_482 works!

If you need to set the default Java version more permanently, or run Java applications as systemd services, see the guide on running Java JAR files with systemd.