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I've just installed Mac OSX 10.8 Mountain Lion I'm trying to install a JDK version 6 There's no Mac package for version 6 on the Oracle downloads: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk6u37-downloads-1859587.html

But there is one for JDK version 7 http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk7u9-downloads-1859576.html

Is there somewhere else I can get a Mac package for JDK 6?

Black
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5 Answers5

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As I recall, the first time you do something that needs Java the OS will ask if you want to install it, and version 6 is what you get. According to this page, typing java -version in the Terminal is enough to trigger the prompt.

For the JDK (and not the runtime), you'll need to log into developer.apple.com, search for java, and download the Java for OS X 2012-006 Developer Package. I just did this on my MacBook and now have javac 1.6.0_37.

khagler
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    that is true, and I went through this process and ended up with: Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment build 1.6.0_37 but the reason for my original question was because I wanted to make sure I got a 1.6 JDK, as opposed to merely a Runtime. – Black Dec 01 '12 at 16:03
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  • browse to to https://developer.apple.com/downloads/
  • Download Java for OS X 2013-005 Developer Package
  • Double-click the resulting java_for_os_x_2013005_dp_11m4609.dmg to open
  • Double-click JavaDeveloper.pkg to install; go with the defaults/agree to license/enter your password
  • Bring up terminal and type java -version to make sure you have the right version.

  • if it's the wrong version, (e.g. java version "1.7.0_45"), then you need to modify ~/.bash_profile:

    # Java 6 for Android Development
export JAVA_HOME="/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0_65-b14-462.jdk/Contents/Home/"

  • Log out & log in again & make sure you're running the correct version: java -version. Should be java version "1.6.0_65".

Brian Cunnie
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    To easily switch between JDK 6 and 7, you can use these aliases: `alias setJdk6='export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.6)'` and `alias setJdk7='export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.7)'` – Wim Deblauwe Jul 16 '14 at 08:52
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For some bizarre reason - before Java7 it was actually apple that supplied/supported java for OSX instead of Sun/Oracle. That situation only recently changed with JAVA7. So, to get an earlier version - like Java6, go to either http://connect.apple.com - sign in with your apple Id and you will find the jdk for 1.6 listed. You can also find it via https://developer.apple.com/ - or as I already said, starting with 7, you can get it directly from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/index.html

stinepike
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Mike0000001
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Unfortunately I didn't see this answer until after I already found a rather wonky solution...I'm assuming that downloading the Java installer from developer.apple.com is the easiest way of installing Java 6, but if, like me, you had installed Java 7, and you're trying to downgrade and it's not working (i.e. if installing the developer download still leaves you with Java 7 as the default version), you can download the Java package for OS 10.6 then open it using Pacifist, then copy the files over. (Copying the files from the package for 10.7 did NOT work for me - apparently it installs Java 7, or at least it leaves Java 7 as the default version with no way to choose version 6 instead).

More info here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/6413600/560114

Community
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Matt Browne
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As of 7/18/13, you could get the latest Mac Java 6 here:

http://support.apple.com/downloads/

Clicking the link "Java for OS X 2013-004" gets you to the download page:

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1572

Aaron Armstrong
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