Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Java Local Development Environments How it Works Installation

Posted by shaunboleh
shaunboleh
14,970 Points

JDK Installation - Java 7 rather than Java 8

I am progressing through the newest Java course and the Installation video in particular. We are told to download and install JDK8. I have Java 7 installed, due I think to watching a few videos from the Android track (I also have Android Studio installed).

I recall that Android can't use Java 8 - if I go ahead and install the version Craig told us to install, will that interfere with Android Studio?

I am using OS X if that makes any difference.

Iain Diamond
Iain Diamond
29,379 Points
Iain Diamond
Iain Diamond
29,379 Points

I believe Android Studio doesn't support Java 8 features, but having it installed and using only Java 7 features should work okay. I'm pretty sure.

3 Answers

Michael Hess
Michael Hess
24,512 Points
Michael Hess
Michael Hess
24,512 Points

Hi slc,

It's possible to have both JDK 7 and JDK 8 installed on the same system. If I recall, Craig explains how to select which version of the JDK you wish to use in the video.

As far as IDEs go, they're all pretty similar. The most common IDEs used today are Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, and Netbeans. The shortcut keys may slightly differ, but most of the IDEs I mentioned have the same productivity tools in common. Basically, if you're familiar with using one IDE, the learning curve for learning to use another IDE is minimal.

shaunboleh
shaunboleh
14,970 Points
shaunboleh
shaunboleh
14,970 Points

Being a curious cat I went ahead and just followed the instructions from Craig about installing JDK8 and IntelliJ and everything continued to work afterwards, including my previous install of Android Studio. Worried for nothing - lesson here - forge ahead, nothing risked nothing gained right?

Ryan Ruscett
Ryan Ruscett
23,309 Points
Ryan Ruscett
Ryan Ruscett
23,309 Points

Hey,

I would recommend using eclipse to do Java Development and Android Studio for Android development. If you install eclipse, you can downlod java 8 zip. Extract it into a folder. Then when you create a java project in eclipse. You right click the project, hit preferences. Then on the side there is java build. If you expand that you and import external jar. then you browse to your java 8 directory and find java and set that as your build path. Then your project will build using java 8. That way if you ever need java 7 you do the same thing and just set that project with a build path of java 7. Now, don't download the java installer if this is windows. Since that will actually set your PATH etc. Just downlaod the zip.

hope this helps.

shaunboleh
shaunboleh
14,970 Points

Hiya, Eclipse? Ok - it's a better choice? I personally don't know - I have heard of it being one of the main three IDEs for Java. I actually have Netbeans which I already installed earlier, simply because I didn't like using Workspaces.