Java tutorial: How to install Java and Eclipse IDE on Windows

Here is the second part of the series with instructions for installing Java IDE. In the last section, we covered the installation of Java and Apache Netbeans IDE on Windows. And in the third part of the Java and IntelliJ IDEA installation. Today we’ll show you how to install Java and the Eclipse IDE on a Windows machine, step by step.

Eclipse is open-source software, popular among Java developers because it is a Java-based development environment that has been around for more than 20 years. In that time, it has built up a huge user community. It has a wide range of plugins to help you customize the environment to suit your project. Eclipse supports multiple languages such as Java, C, C++, HTML, PHP and many more. In addition, Eclipse includes advanced tools such as DOCKER to better organize your project packages as well as support for GIT for tracking changes to existing files.

However, it is important to note that the choice of an IDE (integrated development environment) is subjective and depends on personal preferences and project requirements. Some developers may prefer NetBeans or IntelliJ IDEA over Eclipse out of personal preference. It’s always a good idea to try out different IDEs and see which one suits you best.

Before we begin, it’s important to mention that Java is always installed before Eclipse, because it depends on it and will save you unnecessary trouble later.

Java installation:

Step 1: Download the latest version of Java from the official website – Java download:

Windows, Linux and macOS versions are available. Choose the Windows version.

Step 2: Once the download is complete, double-click on the downloaded file to start the installation.

Step 3: Click Next and choose the path where Java will be installed (we recommend leaving the default path), then click Next to start the installation.

Step 4: After the installation is complete, you can still view the documentation on the Oracle website by clicking the Next Steps button.

Click Close to complete the installation process.

Step 5: Verify proper installation of Java by opening a command prompt (cmd command) and typing the command java -version. If Java is installed correctly, you should see the version number displayed.

Installing the Eclipse IDE

Now that we have our preferred version of Java installed, we will install the Eclipse IDE.

Step 1: Download the latest version of Eclipse from the official website – Java eclipse download.

Step 2: Downloading the Eclipse IDE is easy, as it will automatically offer the latest version of the program as well as the default location to download from. Press Download on both screens.

Step 3: Once the download is complete, double-click on the Eclipse executable to launch the Eclipse installer.

Step 4: You will be given the choice to select the Eclipse configuration for your needs. Choose the first option, as we want to use Eclipse mainly for Java application development.

Step 5A: The following screen allows you to select the installation directory. However, if you see a red rectangle with an error, it means that the installation directory you selected is read-only, so you need to run the Eclipse installation again, this time with administrator rights. Alternatively, choose another directory where you have write access.

Step 5B: After running the Eclipse installation with administrator rights, the previous error message has disappeared and the Install button is available. Before you press it, you may notice that Eclipse automatically detected where you installed the Java JDK. Click Install.

Step 6: During installation, you may be surprised by a new window asking you if you trust unsigned content. This occurs if the Eclipse version does not yet know the latest versions of the identifiers from the JDK packages. Check Select All and press the Trust Selected button.

Step 7: Install successfully and click on the Launch button to launch Eclipse.

Step 8: In the initial window, Eclipse asks you where you want to create your Workspace.

If you are happy with the default path, click Launch.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Java and Eclipse on your Windows computer. Now you’re ready to start programming in Java.

About the author

Jozef Wagner

Java Developer Senior

Viac ako 10 rokov programujem v Jave, momentálne pracujem v msg life Slovakia ako Java programátor senior a pomáham zákazníkom implementovať ich požiadavky do poistného softvéru Life Factory. Vo voľnom čase si rád oddýchnem v lese, prípadne si zahrám nejakú dobrú počítačovú hru.