Java is one of the most popular programming languages in the world. It is widely-used to develop IOT appliances, Android apps, web, and enterprise applications. This article will provide a quick guide to install and configure your workstation using [OpenJDK][1].
### Installing the compiler and tools
Installing the compiler, or Java Development Kit (JDK), is easy to do in Fedora. At the time of this article, versions 8 and 9 are available. Simply open a terminal and enter:
```
sudo dnf install java-1.8.0-openjdk-devel
```
This will install the JDK for version 8. For version 9, enter:
```
sudo dnf install java-9-openjdk-devel
```
For the developer who requires additional tools and libraries such as Ant and Maven, the **Java Development** group is available. To install the suite, enter:
```
sudo dnf group install "Java Development"
```
To verify the compiler is installed, run:
```
javac -version
```
The output shows the compiler version and looks like this:
```
javac 1.8.0_162
```
### Compiling applications
You can use any basic text editor such as nano, vim, or gedit to write applications. This example provides a simple “Hello Fedora” program.
Open your favorite text editor and enter the following:
```
public class HelloFedora {
public static void main (String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello Fedora!");
}
}
```
Save the file as HelloFedora.java. In the terminal change to the directory containing the file and do:
```
javac HelloFedora.java
```
The compiler will complain if it runs into any syntax errors. Otherwise it will simply display the shell prompt beneath.
You should now have a file called HelloFedora, which is the compiled program. Run it with the following command:
```
java HelloFedora
```
And the output will display:
```
Hello Fedora!
```
### Installing an Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
Some programs may be more complex and an IDE can make things flow smoothly. There are quite a few IDEs available for Java programmers including:
+ Geany, a basic IDE that loads quickly, and provides built-in templates
+ Anjuta
+ GNOME Builder, which has been covered in the article Builder – a new IDE specifically for GNOME app developers
However, one of the most popular open-source IDE’s, mainly written in Java, is [Eclipse][2]. Eclipse is available in the official repositories. To install it, run this command:
```
sudo dnf install eclipse-jdt
```
When the installation is complete, a shortcut for Eclipse appears in the desktop menu.
For more information on how to use Eclipse, consult the [User Guide][3] available on their website.
### Browser plugin
If you’re developing web applets and need a plugin for your browser, [IcedTea-Web][4] is available. Like OpenJDK, it is open source and easy to install in Fedora. Run this command:
```
sudo dnf install icedtea-web
```
As of Firefox 52, the web plugin no longer works. For details visit the Mozilla support site at [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/npapi-plugins?as=u&utm_source=inproduct][5].
Congratulations, your Java development environment is ready to use.
