What’s new in Sun/Oracle Java 7
-
VM
- Compressed 64-bit object pointers
- Garbage-First GC (G1)
- JSR 292: VM support for non-Java languages (InvokeDynamic)
-
Lang
- JSR 294: Language and VM support for modular programming
- JSR 308: Annotations on Java types
- JSR TBD: Small language enhancements (Project Coin)
- JSR TBD: Project Lambda
-
Core
- Modularization (Project Jigsaw)
- Upgrade class-loader architecture
- Method to close a URLClassLoader
- Unicode 5.1
- Concurrency and collections updates (jsr166y)
- JSR 203: More new I/O APIs for the Java platform (NIO.2)
- SCTP (Stream Control Transmission Protocol)
- SDP (Sockets Direct Protocol)
- Elliptic-curve cryptography (ECC)
-
Client
- XRender pipeline for Java 2D
- Nimbus look-and-feel for Swing
- Swing JLayer component
-
Web
- Update the XML stack
Install Sun/Oracle Java JDK/JRE 7u55 on Fedora 20/19/18/17/16/15/14/13/12, CentOS 6.5/6.4/6.3/6.2/6.1/6/5.10, Red Hat (RHEL) 6.5/6.4/6.3/6.2/6.1/6/5.10
1. Download Sun/Oracle Java JDK/JRE 7u55 32-bit/64-bit RPM packages
Download Sun/Oracle Java 7u55 from here http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html. Select rpm package (jdk-7u55-linux-i586.rpm, jdk-7u55-linux-x64.rpm, jre-7u55-linux-i586.rpm or jre-7u55-linux-x64.rpm).
2. Change to root user.
sudo -i
## OR ##
su -
3. Install Java JDK or JRE package
## JDK 32-bit ##
rpm -Uvh /path/to/binary/jdk-7u55-linux-i586.rpm
## JDK 64-bit ##
rpm -Uvh /path/to/binary/jdk-7u55-linux-x64.rpm
## JRE 32-bit ##
rpm -Uvh /path/to/binary/jre-7u55-linux-i586.rpm
## JRE 64-bit ##
rpm -Uvh /path/to/binary/jre-7u55-linux-x64.rpm
4a. Install Sun/Oracle JDK java, javaws, libjavaplugin.so (for Firefox/Mozilla) and javac with alternatives –install command
Use Java JDK latest version (/usr/java/latest)
## java ##
alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/java/latest/jre/bin/java
## javaws ##
alternatives --install /usr/bin/javaws javaws /usr/java/latest/jre/bin/javaws
## Java Browser (Mozilla) Plugin 32-bit ##
alternatives --install /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so /usr/java/latest/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so
## Java Browser (Mozilla) Plugin 64-bit ##
alternatives --install /usr/lib64/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so.x86_64 /usr/java/latest/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so
## Install javac only if you installed JDK (Java Development Kit) package ##
alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /usr/java/latest/bin/javac
alternatives --install /usr/bin/jar jar /usr/java/latest/bin/jar
Use Java JDK absolute version (/usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55)
## java ##
alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/jre/bin/java
## javaws ##
alternatives --install /usr/bin/javaws javaws /usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/jre/bin/javaws
## Java Browser (Mozilla) Plugin 32-bit ##
alternatives --install /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so /usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so
## Java Browser (Mozilla) Plugin 64-bit ##
alternatives --install /usr/lib64/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so.x86_64 /usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so
## Install javac only if you installed JDK (Java Development Kit) package ##
alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/bin/javac
alternatives --install /usr/bin/jar jar /usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/bin/jar
4b. Install Sun/Oracle JRE java, javaws and libjavaplugin.so (for Firefox/Mozilla) with alternatives –install command
Use Java JRE latest version (/usr/java/latest)
## java ##
alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/java/latest/bin/java
## javaws ##
alternatives --install /usr/bin/javaws javaws /usr/java/latest/bin/javaws
## Java Browser (Mozilla) Plugin 32-bit ##
alternatives --install /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so /usr/java/latest/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so
## Java Browser (Mozilla) Plugin 64-bit ##
alternatives --install /usr/lib64/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so.x86_64 /usr/java/latest/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so
Use Java JRE absolute version (/usr/java/jre1.7.0_55)
## java ##
alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/java/jre1.7.0_55/bin/java
## javaws ##
alternatives --install /usr/bin/javaws javaws /usr/java/jre1.7.0_55/bin/javaws
## Java Browser (Mozilla) Plugin 32-bit ##
alternatives --install /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so /usr/java/jre1.7.0_55/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so
## Java Browser (Mozilla) Plugin 64-bit ##
alternatives --install /usr/lib64/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so.x86_64 /usr/java/jre1.7.0_55/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so
5. Check current java, javac, javaws and libjavaplugin.so versions
java -version
java version "1.7.0_55"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_55-b13)
Java HotSpot(TM) -Bit Server VM (build 24.51-b03, mixed mode)
javaws
Java(TM) Web Start 10.51.2.13-fcs
[...]
javac -version
javac 1.7.0_55
Note: Check libjavaplugin.so with restarting Mozilla Firefox and writing about:plugins on address bar. 
Java 7 console output on Fedora 18:
6. Swap between OpenJDK and Sun/Oracle Java JDK/JRE 6 and 7 versions
java
alternatives --config java
There are programs which provide 'java'.
Selection Command
-----------------------------------------------
* /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_24/jre/bin/java
/usr/lib/jvm/jre-1.5.0-gcj/bin/java
+ /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_26/jre/bin/java
/usr/lib/jvm/jre-1.6.0-openjdk/bin/java
/usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/jre/bin/java
Enter to keep the current selection[+], or type selection number:
Note: java with [+] is currently on use
javaws
alternatives --config javaws
There are programs which provide 'javaws'.
Selection Command
-----------------------------------------------
* /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_24/jre/bin/javaws
+ /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_26/jre/bin/javaws
/usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/jre/bin/javaws
Enter to keep the current selection[+], or type selection number:
Note: java with [+] is currently on use
libjavaplugin.so (32-bit)
alternatives --config libjavaplugin.so
There are programs which provide 'libjavaplugin.so'.
Selection Command
-----------------------------------------------
* /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_24/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so
+ /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_26/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so
/usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so
Enter to keep the current selection[+], or type selection number:
libjavaplugin.so.x86_64 (64-bit)
alternatives --config libjavaplugin.so.x86_64
There are programs which provide 'libjavaplugin.so.x86_64'.
Selection Command
-----------------------------------------------
* /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_24/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so
+ /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_26/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so
/usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so
Enter to keep the current selection[+], or type selection number:
javac
alternatives --config javac
There are programs which provide 'javac'.
Selection Command
-----------------------------------------------
* /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_24/bin/javac
+ /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_26/bin/javac
/usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55/bin/javac
Enter to keep the current selection[+], or type selection number:
Note: java with [+] is currently on use
Post-Installation Setup
Add JAVA_HOME environment variable to /etc/profile file or $HOME/.bash_profile file
Java JDK and JRE latest version (/usr/java/latest)
## export JAVA_HOME JDK/JRE ##
export JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/latest"
Java JDK and JRE absolute version (/usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55)
## export JAVA_HOME JDK ##
export JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/jdk1.7.0_55"
## export JAVA_HOME JRE ##
export JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/jre1.7.0_55"
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