JAVA | How to install multiple Java versions on macOS

Preconditions

  • you're running on macOS

  • brew is installed

Step 1: Instal JDK(s)

Search for available JDKs

brew search --formulae openjdk.java

install a required version, e.g.

brew install openjdk@8
brew install openjdk@11

Step 2: Make JDK searchable

For the system, Java wrappers to find this JDK, symlink it with. Instead of openjdk@8 use your version.

sudo ln -sfn /usr/local/opt/openjdk@8/libexec/openjdk.jdk /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/openjdk-8.jdk

Step 3: Add Java paths to environment variables

Add to the end of your file which is used to be running by default when the shell session is started. E.g. to the ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc

Step 4: Conclusion and example of usage

Now by default, you will have Java 17 available

and to switch to other versions, you can simply call java8 or java11

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