Install Eclipse on Ubuntu
Ubuntu is the world's most popular open source operating system, and the Eclipse IDE is one of the most popular Java IDEs. Combining the two only makes sense.
How to install Eclipse in Ubuntu
While most Linux developers pride themselves on their command-line prowess, there's no need to open a terminal window to install Eclipse on Ubuntu. The installer, which is easily downloaded from eclipse.org, takes care of the entire process.
To install Eclipse on Ubuntu, follow these steps:
- Download the Eclipse IDE installer zip from eclipse.org.
- Extract the zip to your local file system.
- Locate and run the extracted eclipse-inst file.
- Accept all the defaults during the installation.
- Launch, run and use the Eclipse IDE.
Prerequisites for Eclipse and Ubuntu
In prior years, developers were required to install the JDK on Ubuntu, configure their own Maven or Gradle build tools, and then perform the installation -- but not anymore. Now, the Eclipse installation takes care of all that for you.
The only prerequisite to installing Ubuntu on Eclipse is a working Ubuntu OS, preferably Bionic Beaver (version 18) or newer.
In this video tutorial, Eclipse is installed on a clean Ubuntu 24 image with no supplemental software installed. When Eclipse is launched, not only is a simple Java Hello World app created to prove the successful installation of the JDK on the Linux OS, but also a Maven project is created to prove that the installation of the build tool worked as well.
If you want to develop Java software with the best open source tools on the market, it makes sense to install the Eclipse IDE on Ubuntu. The install is easy, and in minutes you'll be ready to start building applications in Java.
Cameron McKenzie has been a Java EE software engineer for 20 years. His current specialties include Agile development; DevOps; Spring; and container-based technologies such as Docker, Swarm and Kubernetes.