SDKMAN: Install Multiple JDK Versions and Much More!
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SDKMAN: Install Multiple JDK Versions and Much More!

When a new stable version of macOS becomes available, there are times when I decide to perform a clean reinstall of my computer. After this process, it becomes necessary to reinstall all the essential tools for my work, which can be quite tedious.

It is in this context that SDKMAN comes into play as an extremely practical utility that goes far beyond the mere management of JDKs on your computer.

An Essential Tool: SDKMAN

SDKMAN, short for “Software Development Kit Manager,” is an invaluable tool for Java developers who wish to effectively manage JDK (Java Development Kit) versions. It greatly simplifies the management of different JDK versions, providing straightforward control over your Java development environment.

The advantages of SDKMAN for JDK version management include:

  1. Easy Installation: SDKMAN streamlines the JDK installation process by automating it. No more searching for downloads or dealing with tedious manual configurations and installations. With just a few simple commands, SDKMAN takes care of everything.

  2. Version Management: With SDKMAN, you can install multiple JDK versions simultaneously on your system. This allows you to easily switch between different versions based on your project requirements.

  3. Flexibility and Adaptability: SDKMAN offers a wide range of JDK versions, including both stable releases and the latest development versions. You can choose the version that best suits your project, considering specific features or compatibility requirements.

  4. Simplified Updates: SDKMAN makes updating your JDK a breeze. The tool notifies you about new available versions and enables quick and hassle-free installations.

  5. Cross-Platform Compatibility: Whether you’re working on macOS, Windows, or Linux, SDKMAN adapts to your environment. It ensures a consistent and seamless experience, regardless of the operating system you’re using.

In summary, SDKMAN is a powerful and essential tool for Java developers. It simplifies JDK version management, keeping you up-to-date with the latest features and preventing compatibility issues. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out, SDKMAN gives you full control over your Java development environment, allowing you to work efficiently and without hassle.

SDKMAN Installation

To take advantage of the benefits offered by SDKMAN, it is essential to install it correctly on your system. Here are the detailed instructions for installing SDKMAN on macOS, Windows, and Linux:

Installation on macOS and Linux:

  • Step 1: Open your terminal.

  • Step 2: Execute the following command to download the SDKMAN installation script:

curl -s "https://get.sdkman.io" | bash
Shell

  • Step 3: Wait for the script to be downloaded and installed.

  • Step 4: After installation:

    • Load a new terminal session
    • Or execute the following command to load SDKMAN into your current session:
source "$HOME/.sdkman/bin/sdkman-init.sh"
Shell
  • Step 5: To verify if SDKMAN has been successfully installed, type the following command:
sdk version
Shell

You should see:

SDKMAN!
script: 5.18.2
native: 0.4.2
Output

Installation on Windows:

  1. On Windows, it’s necessary to have a Bash terminal. The easiest way is to install Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2).

  2. To do this, follow the instructions provided on the Microsoft website https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install.

  3. Once installed, proceed as if you were on macOS or Linux.

Congratulations! You have now installed SDKMAN on your system. You are ready to enjoy its powerful features for JDK version management.

Note

All SDK installations will now be done under your HOME directory that is in the ~/.sdkman on linux-friendly OS.

JDK Installation

Once you have successfully installed SDKMAN, you can proceed with the installation of a specific JDK using this tool.

Take a moment to think about it, and let’s explore some SDKMAN commands.

Candidate vs Version

As the name suggests, SDKMAN allows you to install SDKs, and Java is just one of the potential candidate’s.

So, first, you need to choose the SDK (candidate) to install.

Candidate

To see the list of available SDK/candidates, use the following command:

sdk list
Shell

Note

Type q to exit the list.

You can see that there are many things you can install. Just to name a few:

  • Gradle
  • Groovy
  • Java
  • Maven
  • Micronaut
  • SBT
  • Scala
  • Spring Boot
  • Tomcat
  • VisualVM

Version

Now, let’s focus on the candidate we’re interested in: Java. Let’s see the versions that SDKMAN offers us.

To do that, let’s query SDKMAN:

sdk list java
Shell

Here is the list I obtained:

================================================================================
Vendor        | Use | Version      | Dist    | Status     | Identifier
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corretto      |     | 21           | amzn    |            | 21-amzn             
              |     | 20.0.2       | amzn    |            | 20.0.2-amzn         
              |     | 20.0.1       | amzn    |            | 20.0.1-amzn         
              |     | 17.0.8       | amzn    |            | 17.0.8-amzn         
              |     | 17.0.7       | amzn    |            | 17.0.7-amzn         
              |     | 11.0.20      | amzn    |            | 11.0.20-amzn        
              |     | 11.0.19      | amzn    |            | 11.0.19-amzn        
              |     | 8.0.382      | amzn    |            | 8.0.382-amzn        
              |     | 8.0.372      | amzn    |            | 8.0.372-amzn        
Gluon         |     | 22.1.0.1.r17 | gln     |            | 22.1.0.1.r17-gln    
              |     | 22.1.0.1.r11 | gln     |            | 22.1.0.1.r11-gln    
GraalVM CE    |     | 21           | graalce |            | 21-graalce          
              |     | 20.0.2       | graalce |            | 20.0.2-graalce      
              |     | 20.0.1       | graalce |            | 20.0.1-graalce      
              |     | 17.0.8       | graalce |            | 17.0.8-graalce      
              |     | 17.0.7       | graalce |            | 17.0.7-graalce      
GraalVM Oracle|     | 21           | graal   |            | 21-graal            
              |     | 20.0.2       | graal   |            | 20.0.2-graal        
              |     | 20.0.1       | graal   |            | 20.0.1-graal        
              |     | 17.0.8       | graal   |            | 17.0.8-graal        
              |     | 17.0.7       | graal   |            | 17.0.7-graal        
Java.net      |     | 22.ea.18     | open    |            | 22.ea.18-open       
              |     | 22.ea.17     | open    |            | 22.ea.17-open       
              |     | 22.ea.16     | open    |            | 22.ea.16-open       
              |     | 22.ea.15     | open    |            | 22.ea.15-open       
              |     | 21           | open    |            | 21-open             
              |     | 21.ea.35     | open    |            | 21.ea.35-open       
              |     | 20.0.2       | open    |            | 20.0.2-open         
JetBrains     |     | 17.0.8       | jbr     |            | 17.0.8-jbr          
              |     | 17.0.8.1     | jbr     |            | 17.0.8.1-jbr        
              |     | 17.0.7       | jbr     |            | 17.0.7-jbr          
              |     | 11.0.14.1    | jbr     |            | 11.0.14.1-jbr       
Liberica      |     | 21.fx        | librca  |            | 21.fx-librca        
              |     | 21           | librca  |            | 21-librca           
              |     | 20.0.2.fx    | librca  |            | 20.0.2.fx-librca    
              |     | 20.0.2       | librca  |            | 20.0.2-librca       
              |     | 20.0.1.fx    | librca  |            | 20.0.1.fx-librca    
              |     | 20.0.1       | librca  |            | 20.0.1-librca       
              |     | 17.0.8.fx    | librca  |            | 17.0.8.fx-librca    
              |     | 17.0.8.1.fx  | librca  |            | 17.0.8.1.fx-librca  
              |     | 17.0.8.1     | librca  |            | 17.0.8.1-librca     
              |     | 17.0.8       | librca  |            | 17.0.8-librca       
              |     | 17.0.7.fx    | librca  |            | 17.0.7.fx-librca    
              |     | 17.0.7       | librca  |            | 17.0.7-librca       
              |     | 11.0.20.fx   | librca  |            | 11.0.20.fx-librca   
              |     | 11.0.20.1.fx | librca  |            | 11.0.20.1.fx-librca
              |     | 11.0.20.1    | librca  |            | 11.0.20.1-librca    
              |     | 11.0.20      | librca  |            | 11.0.20-librca      
              |     | 11.0.19.fx   | librca  |            | 11.0.19.fx-librca
              |     | 11.0.19      | librca  |            | 11.0.19-librca      
              |     | 8.0.382.fx   | librca  |            | 8.0.382.fx-librca   
              |     | 8.0.382      | librca  |            | 8.0.382-librca      
              |     | 8.0.372.fx   | librca  |            | 8.0.372.fx-librca   
              |     | 8.0.372      | librca  |            | 8.0.372-librca      
Liberica NIK  |     | 23.r20       | nik     |            | 23.r20-nik          
              |     | 23.r17       | nik     |            | 23.r17-nik          
              |     | 23.1.r21     | nik     |            | 23.1.r21-nik        
              |     | 23.0.1.r20   | nik     |            | 23.0.1.r20-nik      
              |     | 23.0.1.r17   | nik     |            | 23.0.1.r17-nik      
              |     | 22.3.3.r17   | nik     |            | 22.3.3.r17-nik      
              |     | 22.3.3.r11   | nik     |            | 22.3.3.r11-nik      
              |     | 22.3.2.r17   | nik     |            | 22.3.2.r17-nik      
              |     | 22.3.2.r11   | nik     |            | 22.3.2.r11-nik      
Microsoft     |     | 21           | ms      |            | 21-ms               
              |     | 17.0.8.1     | ms      |            | 17.0.8.1-ms         
              |     | 17.0.8       | ms      |            | 17.0.8-ms           
              |     | 17.0.7       | ms      |            | 17.0.7-ms           
              |     | 11.0.20.1    | ms      |            | 11.0.20.1-ms        
              |     | 11.0.20      | ms      |            | 11.0.20-ms          
              |     | 11.0.19      | ms      |            | 11.0.19-ms          
Oracle        |     | 21           | oracle  |            | 21-oracle           
              |     | 20.0.2       | oracle  |            | 20.0.2-oracle       
              |     | 20.0.1       | oracle  |            | 20.0.1-oracle       
              |     | 17.0.8       | oracle  |            | 17.0.8-oracle       
              |     | 17.0.7       | oracle  |            | 17.0.7-oracle       
SapMachine    |     | 21           | sapmchn |            | 21-sapmchn          
              |     | 20.0.2       | sapmchn |            | 20.0.2-sapmchn      
              |     | 20.0.1       | sapmchn |            | 20.0.1-sapmchn      
              |     | 17.0.8       | sapmchn |            | 17.0.8-sapmchn      
              |     | 17.0.8.1     | sapmchn |            | 17.0.8.1-sapmchn    
              |     | 17.0.7       | sapmchn |            | 17.0.7-sapmchn      
              |     | 11.0.20      | sapmchn |            | 11.0.20-sapmchn     
              |     | 11.0.20.1    | sapmchn |            | 11.0.20.1-sapmchn   
              |     | 11.0.19      | sapmchn |            | 11.0.19-sapmchn     
Semeru        |     | 20.0.2       | sem     |            | 20.0.2-sem          
              |     | 20.0.1       | sem     |            | 20.0.1-sem          
              |     | 17.0.8       | sem     |            | 17.0.8-sem          
              |     | 17.0.8.1     | sem     |            | 17.0.8.1-sem        
              |     | 17.0.7       | sem     |            | 17.0.7-sem          
              |     | 11.0.20      | sem     |            | 11.0.20-sem         
              |     | 11.0.20.1    | sem     |            | 11.0.20.1-sem       
              |     | 11.0.19      | sem     |            | 11.0.19-sem         
Temurin       |     | 20.0.2       | tem     |            | 20.0.2-tem          
              |     | 20.0.1       | tem     |            | 20.0.1-tem          
              |     | 17.0.8       | tem     |            | 17.0.8-tem          
              |     | 17.0.8.1     | tem     |            | 17.0.8.1-tem        
              |     | 17.0.7       | tem     |            | 17.0.7-tem          
              |     | 11.0.20      | tem     |            | 11.0.20-tem 
              |     | 11.0.20.1    | tem     |            | 11.0.20.1-tem       
              |     | 11.0.19      | tem     |            | 11.0.19-tem         
Tencent       |     | 17.0.8       | kona    |            | 17.0.8-kona         
              |     | 17.0.7       | kona    |            | 17.0.7-kona         
              |     | 11.0.20      | kona    |            | 11.0.20-kona        
              |     | 11.0.19      | kona    |            | 11.0.19-kona        
              |     | 8.0.382      | kona    |            | 8.0.382-kona        
              |     | 8.0.372      | kona    |            | 8.0.372-kona        
Zulu          |     | 21           | zulu    |            | 21-zulu             
              |     | 21.fx        | zulu    |            | 21.fx-zulu          
              |     | 20.0.2       | zulu    |            | 20.0.2-zulu         
              |     | 20.0.2.fx    | zulu    |            | 20.0.2.fx-zulu      
              |     | 20.0.1       | zulu    |            | 20.0.1-zulu         
              |     | 20.0.1.fx    | zulu    |            | 20.0.1.fx-zulu      
              |     | 17.0.8       | zulu    |            | 17.0.8-zulu         
              |     | 17.0.8.fx    | zulu    |            | 17.0.8.fx-zulu      
              |     | 17.0.8.1     | zulu    |            | 17.0.8.1-zulu       
              |     | 17.0.8.1.fx  | zulu    |            | 17.0.8.1.fx-zulu    
              |     | 17.0.7       | zulu    |            | 17.0.7-zulu         
              |     | 17.0.7.fx    | zulu    |            | 17.0.7.fx-zulu      
              |     | 11.0.20      | zulu    |            | 11.0.20-zulu        
              |     | 11.0.20.fx   | zulu    |            | 11.0.20.fx-zulu     
              |     | 11.0.20.1    | zulu    |            | 11.0.20.1-zulu      
              |     | 11.0.20.1.fx | zulu    |            | 11.0.20.1.fx-zulu   
              |     | 11.0.19      | zulu    |            | 11.0.19-zulu        
              |     | 11.0.19.fx   | zulu    |            | 11.0.19.fx-zulu     
              |     | 8.0.382      | zulu    |            | 8.0.382-zulu        
              |     | 8.0.382.fx   | zulu    |            | 8.0.382.fx-zulu     
              |     | 8.0.372      | zulu    |            | 8.0.372-zulu        
              |     | 8.0.372.fx   | zulu    |            | 8.0.372.fx-zulu     
================================================================================
Omit Identifier to install default version 17.0.8.1-tem:
$ sdk install java
Use TAB completion to discover available versions
$ sdk install java [TAB]
Or install a specific version by Identifier:
$ sdk install java 17.0.8.1-tem
Hit Q to exit this list view
================================================================================
Output

Actual installation of the JDK

Place your bets … me, it’s done! As I am working on the build of Java code in native code at the moment, I choose GraalVM CE in version 20.0.2 and I select its identifier 20.0.2-graalce.

It’s your turn. To install it, I run the command:

sdk install java 20.0.2-graalce
Shell

Which gives me the output, the installation process

Downloading: java 20.0.2-graalce

In progress...

################################## 100.0%

Repackaging Java 20.0.2-graalce...

Done repackaging...
Cleaning up residual files...

Installing: java 20.0.2-graalce
Done installing!

Setting java 20.0.2-graalce as default.
Output

Done! No, not yet … I need more JDKs for comparison. Moreover, this is why we installed this tool.

For my part, I install two others:

sdk install java 21.fx-librca
Shell
sdk install java 23.r20-nik
Shell

JDK Selection

Let’s now see how to select a specific version of Java.

Displaying the Current Version

Let’s see what the sdk command tells us:

% sdk current java
Using java version 20.0.2-graalce
Output

And let’s see what java tells us:

% java --version               
openjdk 20.0.2 2023-07-18
OpenJDK Runtime Environment GraalVM CE 20.0.2+9.1 (build 20.0.2+9-jvmci-23.0-b15)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM GraalVM CE 20.0.2+9.1 (build 20.0.2+9-jvmci-23.0-b15, mixed mode, sharing)
Output

Displaying Installed Versions

sdk list java
Shell

Switching Versions

% sdk use java 21.fx-librca

Using java version 21.fx-librca in this shell.
Output

Let’s verify with Java:

% java --version

openjdk 21 2023-09-19 LTS
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21+37-LTS)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 21+37-LTS, mixed mode, sharing)
Output

And there you have it…

Taking It Further

You can find additional useful commands at this address: https://sdkman.io/usage, including the env command: https://sdkman.io/usage#env.

Now it’s your turn to explore further.

Cheers…

Jean-Jerome Levy

Written by

Jean-Jerome Levy

DevOps Consultant

Seasoned professional in the field of information technology, I bring over 20 years of experience from working within major corporate IT departments. My diverse expertise has played a pivotal role in a myriad of projects, marked by the implementation of innovative DevOps practices.