How to install Java SDK (1.6) and Apache Ant (1.7) on CentOS 4.4 (Server CD)

I had enough with some package managers or alternative ways of installing Java on a server which is running CentOS (RHEL) 4.4. I think the most straight forward way is the following. I promise by the end of this post you will have Java and Apache Ant running on you server!

SETUP JAVA

Step 1: Download Java SDK for Linux (I have used the .bin file)

Step 2: upload the .bin file to your server - I have picked the following folder /usr/lib/ So it would be /usr/lib/jdk-6u1-linux-i586.bin (this is JDK1.6 update 1 for my case maybe when you read this post is jdk1.7).

Step 3: Unpack - extract the bin file contents of the bin file

chmod 777 jdk-6u1-linux-i586.bin ./jdk-6u1-linux-i586.bin

Step 4: Follow the instructions and type yes when prompted to do so! After unpacking you should have the following folder /usr/lib/jdk1.6.0_01/

Step 5: Go to the /etc/alternatives folder and create a sym link to the java executable

1> cd /etc/alternatives
2> ln -s /usr/lib/jdk1.6.0_01/bin/java java

Step 6: Go to the /usr/bin folder and create a sym link pointing to the sym link of alternatives (there are 2 levels of sym links that may prove to be handy in case we change to a new version after a while)

1cd /usr/bin/ ln -s /etc/alternatives/java /usr/bin/java

Yes this is it you may test if Java( runtime) is there by typing

1> java -version

Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_01-b06) Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.6.0_01-b06, mixed mode, sharing)

SETUP JAVA_HOME

Step 1: Based on the installation above I would like to create another sym link to point on the jdk folder so

1cd /etc/alternatives ln -s /usr/lib/jdk1.6.0_01/ /etc/alternatives/jdk
2

So if I do a

1> cd /etc/alternatives/jdk ls

I get the contents of the actual jdk160 folder

Step 2: Set the JAVA_HOME variable globally!

cd /etc/ vi ./profile

(hope you know the basics of vi)

Step 2.1 :there add a new line with the following JAVA_HOME ="/etc/alternatives/jdk"

Step 2.2: and change the existing line from export PATH USER LOGNAME MAIL HOSTNAME HISTSIZE INPUTRC to export PATH USER LOGNAME MAIL HOSTNAME HISTSIZE INPUTRC JAVA_HOME

Step 3: you should restart your bash session in order the new variable to be loaded just check

echo $JAVA_HOME /etc/alternatives/jdk

Done! SETUP APACHE ANT

Step 1: Go to the /usr/lib/ folder and wget apache ant gz file

cd /usr/lib/ wget https://apache.forthnet.gr/ant/binaries/apache-ant-1.7.0-bin.tar.gz

Step 2: When it is finished unpack the archive

gzip -d apache-ant-1.7.0-bin.tar.gz tar -xvf apache-ant-1.7.0-bin.tar

You should end up with a folder /usr/lib/apache-ant-1.7.0/

Step 3: Lets create some Sym links again for the ant executable

ln -s /usr/lib/apache-ant-1.7.0/bin/ant /etc/alternatives/ant

Step 4: :Lets create some Sym links for the ant home directory

ln -s /usr/lib/apache-ant-1.7.0/ /etc/alternatives/anthome

Step 5: Lets create a sym link to the /usr/bin folder for ant

ln -s /etc/alternatives/ant /usr/bin/ant

Step 6: Add the ANT_HOME variable like we did with java home

cd /etc/ vi ./profile

Step 6.1 : Add the following line ANT_HOME="/etc/alternatives/anthome"

Step 6.2 : add ANT_HOME to the export statement export PATH USER LOGNAME MAIL HOSTNAME HISTSIZE INPUTRC JAVA_HOME ANT_HOME

Restart your terminal session and now if you type:

ant -version Apache Ant version 1.7.0 compiled on December 13 2006

echo $ANT_HOME /etc/alternatives/anthome

Done!

(PS)

I am not a linux sys admin so maybe you can do it better though the steps above gave me in 10 minutes a real Java and Ant setup for my CentOS 4.4 linux server. If you don't feel comfortable with some of the commands like the symbolic link creation or the use of vi then don't do it - I have included some links on each command! Yes there are some package managers that do it on their own way I know! This procedure it can be applied I suppose to all the linux flavors since it's not package-manager dependant When you see the > I just used to to show the terminal do not write it your self most probably will be [root@localhost ~ I used root user to do the setup

I hope it helps!