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For example, I have OpenJDK 6 and 7 both installed. If I run javac foo.java will is compile my program as a Java 6 program or a Java 7 program?

user unknown
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Orcris
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  • Multiple duplicates, i.e.: [install jre-7](http://askubuntu.com/questions/56104/how-can-i-install-oracle-java-jre-7) [how to install java](http://askubuntu.com/questions/48468/how-to-install-java) – user unknown Jan 24 '12 at 00:01

3 Answers3

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Debian-based distributions have so-called "alternatives" system, which allows to have more than one program installed which perform the same function (this also includes different versions of the same program, like Java 6 and Java 7). As @user15936 points out, the system works by manipulating symlinks, so "javac" can point to the executable either from OpenJDK 6 or from OpenJDK 7

The command to manipulate the above mentioned symlinks (the process is in fact more complex than that as it includes some configuration, for example manpages change too etc.) - is called update-alternatives. You can learn how to use it by typing man update-alternatives in terminal.

To directly answer your question, another way to determine which javac executable will be invoked is by doing

update-alternatives --display javac
Sergey
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The answer is whichever is linked to /usr/bin/javac

That will be executed.

You can see this by going to /usr/bin/ and see the link javac is connected by doing ls -l javac.

Bruno Pereira
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harish.venkat
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You should type in a terminal javac -version and there you will get your answer...

doug
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JuanToroMarty
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  • There is nothing wrong with this answer, particularly for users where Oracle Java (JVM/JDK) is no longer provided as a .deb & they manually installed. Highly recommended reading, especially about the 'update java' script' which will set the various alternatives - http://www.webupd8.org/2011/09/how-to-install-oracle-java-7-jdk-in.html – doug Jan 23 '12 at 23:52
  • I didn't vote down, but java and javac might belong to different versions. – user unknown Jan 23 '12 at 23:53