How to Set JAVA_HOME on macOS

1. What is JAVA_HOME Environment Variable
2. Set JAVA_HOME Environment Variable on macOS
3. Global Setting of JAVA_HOME Environment Variable
4. Conclusion

JAVA_HOME is an optional operating system environment variable set after installing the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or the Java Development Kit (JDK). The JAVA_HOME environment variable indicates the JDK or JRE installation location.

All operating systems, including Windows, Ubuntu, Linux, Mac, and Android, that include a Java installation must have this variable set. But here in this article, we will discuss how the JAVA_HOME environment variable can be set on macOS.

The new method of defining the JAVA_HOME environment variable enables us to dynamically recognize and employ the Java version currently installed on a system and if many Java versions are installed, to switch between them.

This article will give you straightforward steps to follow for setting the JAVA_HOME environment variable on macOS.

What is JAVA_HOME Environment Variable

The Java runtime installed locally does not use the JAVA_HOME environment variable. Instead, other desktop software that needs the Java runtime will ask the JAVA_HOME variable’s operating system to determine the runtime’s location.

Once the JDK or JRE installation’s location is identified, those applications can launch Java-based processes, launch Java virtual machines, and use command-line tools like the Java archive utility or the Java compiler, all of which are contained inside the bin directory of the Java installation.

Set JAVA_HOME Environment Variable on macOS

For setting up the JAVA_HOME environment variable on macOS, first, you must identify the installed Java version of your macOS. There is a handy tool to determine the installed Java version of macOS 10.5 onward.

For instance, to print the most recent Java version installed on your Mac, open the terminal window and enter the following command.

/usr/libexec/java_home

This command dynamically locates the most recent Java version listed in the user’s Java Preferences.

Now, open ~/.bash_profile and insert the following in any text editor:

export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home)

You can save this file using the ESC key on the keyboard and type :wq. This will both save the file and end.

Save the document, then exit. In the terminal window type, immediately apply changes to the .profile file.

source ~/.profile

In the terminal window, type:

java -version

It will print the current Java version installed on your Mac.

Once this step is complete, you are all left to run the command listed below, and you will be ready to use the JAVA_HOME environment variable.

source ~/.bash_profile OR source ~/.zshrc

After executing the steps mentioned above, run the following command to ensure your computer’s JAVA_HOME environment variable is configured correctly.

echo $JAVA_HOME

The command’s results should appear as in the instance below. This is the location of JDK’s installation.

/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_241.jdk/Contents/Home

JAVA_HOME and macOS 11 Big Sur

zsh is the default terminal shell on macOS 10.15 Catalina, and later, we can set the JAVA_HOME environment variable in either /.zshenv or /.zshrc.

Open the ~/.zshenv in the terminal and type:

% nano ~/.zshenv

Now, add the following lines in ~/.zshenv.

export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home)

After that, source the file and print the JAVA_HOME, and you are done.

In the terminal, type:

% source ~/.zshenv
% echo $JAVA_HOME
/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-16.jdk/Contents/Home

JAVA_HOME and Older macOS X

We must set JAVA_HOME to the actual path because the function /usr/libexec/java_home does not exist on earlier versions of macOS X.

Open the ~/.bash_profile

In the terminal, type:

% nano ~/.bash_profile

Insert the following lines in ~/.bash_profile.

export JAVA_HOME=/System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk/Contents/Home

Now, source the file and print the JAVA_HOME.

% source ~/.bash_profile

% echo $JAVA_HOME
/System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk/Contents/Home

Global Setting of JAVA_HOME Environment Variable

The above commands will establish the JAVA_HOME environment variable for a single user. But what would happen if you wanted this variable to be set globally for every user using the system?

The steps are the same for setting the JAVA_HOME environment variable for a single user, but we employ the /etc/profile or /etc/environment file instead.

Open /etc/environment and insert the following:

JAVA_HOME=/path/to/java_installation

Please be aware that the /etc/environment is a collection of assignment expressions rather than a script (that is why export is not used). When logging in, it will read this file.

To set JAVA_HOME using the /etc/profile, here is what you will insert into the file:

export JAVA_HOME=/path/to/java_installation

To load the variable, execute the source command.

source /etc/profile

Now you can check the value of the JAVA_HOME variable.

echo $JAVA_HOME

The result should be the path to the JDK installation.

/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle

Conclusion

Every programmer should be able to set up the JAVA_HOME environment variable before beginning any Java programming because many Java-based tools, apps, and libraries rely on it.

For example, to execute development tools like Eclipse, NetBeans, Tomcat, etc., you must adjust the operating system’s PATH environment variable because these programs require JDK or JRE to function.

In this article, we have covered almost all the areas of how we can set the JAVA_HOME environment variable for single users, and we also discussed the global setting for it. Following these simple steps, you will quickly set up your JAVA_HOME environment variable on your macOS.