After we install Java Development Kit (JDK) on Windows, we need to configure the JAVA_HOME and Path environment variables so that the operating system can find the JDK command-line tools.
In this guide, we will show you how to setup JAVA_HOME and Path environment variables on Microsoft Windows 7 operating system.
What We Used
- Microsoft Windows 7
- Oracle JDK 1.8
1. Set the JAVA_HOME variable
Click the Start menu, right click Computer and then select Properties.
Click the Advanced System Settings link to open the System Properties dialog box.
Click the Environment Variables button to open the Environment Variables dialog box.
Under System Variables, click the New button to add JAVA_HOME variable and enter the JDK installation path C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.8.0_60 as variable value. If the path contains spaces, we can use the shortened path name, for example C:\PROGRA~2\Java\jdk1.8.0_60
Program Files directory:
- PROGRA~1 = Program Files
- PROGRA~2 = Program Files (x86)
2. Set the PATH variable
Under System Variables, find the Path variable and click the Edit button. Then, add the JDK bin folder %JAVA_HOME%\bin to the beginning of the Path value.
Note: Remember to put a semicolon character ; as delimiter to separate the Maven bin path with other paths.
3. Verify
In final step, close and re-open the command prompt window to reload the latest changes of the environment variables. Execute the following commands in the command prompt window:
echo %JAVA_HOME%java -versionjavac -versionThe output will show your installed version of JDK like below:
C:\Users\chankok>echo %JAVA_HOME%
C:\PROGRA~2\Java\jdk1.8.0_60
C:\Users\chankok>java -version
java version "1.8.0_60"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_60-b27)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 25.60-b23, mixed mode)
C:\Users\chankok>javac -version
javac 1.8.0_60Summary
Congratulations! You have successfully configured the JAVA_HOME and Path environment variables on Windows 7. Now you can start develop your Java application.