JAVA_HOME is just a convention, usually used by Tomcat, other Java EE app servers and build tools such as Maven to find where Java lives. You will need to know this when setting up a project in IntelliJ for example. Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.7.0_79.jdk/Contents/Home Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_65.jdk/Contents/HomeĪdrians-MacBook-Pro:ama ama$ /usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.7 You can find out where the JDK is installed, by executing the /usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.7 , on the terminal command: Adrians-MacBook-Pro:ama ama$ /usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.8 It includes the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), an interpreter/loader (java), a compiler (javac), an archiver (jar), a documentation generator (javadoc) and other tools needed in Java development.ĭownload the Mac OS X 圆4. Install a Java Development Kit ( JDK), which is a software development environment used for developing Java applications and applets. I need to mention that until now I’ve been a user of Windows (XP/7) and Linux (Ubuntu/Mint/Cent OS). At the time of this writing, my MacBook Pro runs on OS X Yosemite Version 10.10.5 JDK This post should be viewed as an enhanced bookmark where I list the tools I had to install so that the MacBook will fulfil its purpose, namely to be used for Java and later for Javascript development. Well, I went to the “dark” side and acquired a MacBook Pro to use it for development when I am not at my PC.