Question

I’m trying to get an environment set up to match a client. They’re using JBoss 4.0.5. The installation docs indicate I need to install the JDK 5.0 separately. As far as I can tell, the JDK installation is tied to the GlassFish app server–installing the JDK gets me GF and uninstalling GF removes the JDK. Is there a way to get just the JDK?

Answer 1

The JDK can be installed and used separately from any other application and you can have multiple versions running on the same machine. (Which is usually the case when working with different clients/projects).

If your JDK installation is tied to the GlassFish application server, you probably used the “Java EE SDK” installer ( http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javaee/downloads/index.html ). This bundles everything you need for starting up development on JavaEE.

You can get the normal, JDK-only installer at http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html (go to Previous Releases for JDK 5) with which you can install only the JDK at a separate location on your computer.

After installing JDK 5, you just have to tell JBoss to use that one instead of the GlassFish/System Java version. For this only setting the JAVA_HOME path to desired JDK for the JBoss startup scripts should be enough.

You can have as many JDK/JRE installations on your computer as you need. Just be sure that for each application which requires a specific version you configure its JAVA_HOME correctly.