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This might sound like a stupid question, but google didn't help me.

Is there a JRE available for Android? If so which version is it? Are there any major features missing?

If not does that mean all java apps need to be recompiled for Dalvik to work on the Android?

Update; Will there ever be JRE available for the Android?

hhafez
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  • On your "update", only god knows ( or the google owners ) but my guess is it won't. But I don't think it would be needed anyway. Because most of the core is already there. – OscarRyz Dec 24 '08 at 00:38
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    But that's a lot easier that this: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/214615 I've got a lot of downvotes there :) – OscarRyz Dec 24 '08 at 00:42
  • @hhafez see my answer below. There appears to have been a working JRE for Android, unfortunately, I can't find a download anywhere. I'm assuming there wasn't enough interest in the project so they stopped development :( – TryTryAgain Mar 11 '13 at 06:57

2 Answers2

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No, there is not. Google did create a completely different runtime for Android, where the base classes are completely different ( albeit compatible )

It uses Java as the language ( syntax ) but not the Java platform.

You can learn about the Android platform here.

From that page:

Android includes a set of core libraries that provides most of the functionality available in the core libraries of the Java programming language.

Read in bold "most".

So, although they look similar, they are not the same.

OscarRyz
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  • So does that mean that any existing Java Applications need to be specificly compliled for Dalvik for them to work (as long as the functionality that is in the initial java Application is part of the **most** in the above quote ;) ) – hhafez Dec 24 '08 at 00:45
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    That's right. But according to http://stackoverflow.com/questions/214615 there's a tool "dx" to translate java bytecode to Dalvik already, so It shouldn't be that hard. – OscarRyz Dec 24 '08 at 01:03
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    is this still true in 2020 with Android 11? – user1870400 Mar 15 '20 at 13:05
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The closest I've found is http://www.apogee.com/products/cjre-a

Unfortunately as stated on that page:

Note that Apogee temporarily suspended further development of CJREs+A in June, 2012, because of insufficient demand for them. Please, contact Apogee if you are interested in a CJRE+A targeted at a an Android-running device of your choice for "volume" distribution to your customers and/or other third parties.

...and a download/demo is nowhere to be found.

Taken from their products page http://www.apogee.com/products it does sound like it would have been a great thing to have:

CJRE+A - The “CJRE for Android” is suitable for devices running Android v4.x or higher, which need to execute the Java SE 5 and SE 6 applications in addition to executing the Android applications.

We can still dream. I have not contacted them. I am aware of many companies that are looking for this functionality. I can't imagine it will dwindle all too fast (or let's say slower than flash)?

I have not reached out to Apogee, might be worth a try...If anyone ever finds a solution, please keep us updated! Thanks.

TryTryAgain
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  • oh ho ho - apogee are working on it again and say it will be out early next year: http://www.apogee.com/products/cjre-a – Tom Carchrae Dec 04 '13 at 16:49
  • not for all devices, but all those android tv boxes, which is awesome: "The first JRE4A scheduled for release in late January 2014 is targeted at wireless and “connected” devices based on ARM Cortex-A8, Cortex-A9, Cortex-A15, or similar ARM processors running Android 4.1.x, 4.2.x, 4.3.x, or 4.4, such as smart phones, tablets, other "hand-helds", home gateways, etc. The JRE4As targeted at devices based on x86, MIPS, and PowerPC processors running Android 4.2.x, 4.3.x, 4.4, or a subsequent release of Android would follow in 2nd quarter of 2014." – Tom Carchrae Dec 04 '13 at 16:50