How do I update Oracle Java (JDK and JRE)

Question

Recently, I've installed JDK 7 from the Oracle site, using these instructions.

Now, I'm wondering what is the correct method to update it (or, better, to keep up-to-date automatically)? For instance, there were some security issues fixed few days ago.

Solution

Now, you can use the Linux Uprising Java PPA, so you get updates automatically through the package manager. If you need the latest Oracle Java 12, you install it:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:linuxuprising/java
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install oracle-java12-installer
sudo update-alternatives --config java

Old solution - DISCONTINUED- does not work anymore

You can use the WebUpd8 Java PPA, so you get updates automatically through the package manager. If you need the latest Oracle Java 8, you install it:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install oracle-java8-installer
sudo update-java-alternatives -s java-8-oracle

• Are PPAs safe to add to my system and what are some "red flags" to watch out for?

If you need the latest Oracle Java 6 (Outdated version), you install it too:

sudo apt-get install oracle-java6-installer

If you need the latest Oracle Java 7 (Outdated version), you install it too:

sudo apt-get install oracle-java7-installer

If you want test Oracle Java 9 early access builds, you can install it too:

sudo apt-get install oracle-java9-installer

To switch between different Java versions, you could use the following terminal command:

sudo update-alternatives --config java

Source:

• Web Upd8: Install Oracle Java 7 in Ubuntu via PPA Repository
• Web Upd8: Oracle Releases Critical Security Update For Java 7 (7U13) And Java 6 (6U39), PPA Updated
• Web Upd8: Install Oracle Java 8 In Ubuntu Via PPA [JDK8]
• Web Upd8: Oracle Java 8 (Stable) Released, Install it In Ubuntu
• Web Upd8: Install Oracle Java 9 In Ubuntu, Linux Mint Or Debian Via PPA Repository [JDK9]

Comments

[avgvstvs]

Reread the OP, user01: "Recently, I've installed JDK 7 from the Oracle site," The question is therefore: "How can I keep my JDK installations up to date automatically?"

[pilat]

This is very good answer, indeed. If there were another one, explaining how to do it without repositories, I'd probably upvoted it too.

[Admin]

Is there a way to run update-alternatives when you don't have interactive access? Like during ansible provisioning?

[IgorGanapolsky]

I get an error: sudo: add-apt-repository: command not found