Installing Eclipse IDE onto Ububtu Linux

Rather than just using a basic text editor for writing java language applications, or an other programming language, it is always good to use an IDE. The following explains how to install the Eclipse IDE on an Ubuntu machine. Similar setup applies to most Linux flavors:

1. Download eclipse from the download site, http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/packages/eclipse-ide-java-developers/heliossr1

2. Extract the contents:
tar xzf eclipse-java-helios-SR1-linux-gtk.tar

3. Moved the extracted contents to /opt
sudo mv eclipse /opt/eclipse

4. Change permissions and create executable
sudo chmod +rx
sudo touch /usr/bin/eclipse
sudo chmod 755 /usr/bin/eclipse
sudoedit /usr/bin/eclipse

Input the following contents:


#!/bin/sh
export ECLIPSE_HOME="/opt/eclipse"

$ECLIPSE_HOME/eclipse $* 

5. If you want a menu item:
sudoedit /usr/share/applications/eclipse.desktop

with the following contents:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Eclipse
Comment=Eclipse IDE
Exec=eclipse
Icon=/opt/eclipse/icon.xpm
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=GNOME;Application;Development;
StartupNotify=true


Now run from the programming menu under applications. 

Installing Java SDK Linux - Ubuntu

Having never used Linux before when you first starting using any Linux flavor, even the most simplest of tasks performed under Microsoft operating systems can cause you some trouble.

For programming and general purpose user I required  Java JDK and JRE installed on my Ubuntu machine. See basic steps below on how this install takes place.

Installation of Java JRE

You can download the source code or self extracting binaries from the Sun Java site, however the quickest way on this OS is to complete the following:

1. Open a terminal window
2. Run sudo vi '/etc/apt/sources.list'
3. Add the following line to the bottom of the file:
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ lucid partner
4. Run sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin sun-java6-fonts
5. Accept all license terms etc..
6. Run java from terminal window to confirm installation

Installation of Java JDK (for developers)


You can download the source code or self extracting binaries from the Sun Java site, however the  quickest way on this OS is to complete the following:

1. Open a terminal window
2. Run sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jdk
3. Run java -version to confirm installation