Java Install

GeoTools is written in the Java Programming Language. The library is targeted for Java 11.

Java Run-time Environment:

  • Java 17 - Experimentally supported in GeoTools 27.x and above (OpenJDK tested)

  • Java 11 - GeoTools 21.x and above (OpenJDK tested)

  • Java 8 - GeoTools 15.x up to and including GeoTools 28.x (OpenJDK and Oracle JRE tested)

  • Java 7 - GeoTools 11.x to GeoTools 14.x (OpenJDK and Oracle JRE tested)

  • Java 6 - GeoTools 8.x to GeoTools 10.x (Oracle JRE tested)

  • Java 5 - GeoTools 2.5.x to GeoTools 8.x (Sun JRE tested)

  • Java 1.4 - GeoTools 2.x to GeoTools 2.4.x (Sun JRE tested)

When developing GeoTools please change your compile options to:

  • IDE: Produce Java 11 compliant code

  • Maven: source=11

Building GeoTools with Java 11

Java introduced a number of changes to the JVM, most notably the module system (Project Jigsaw). Refer to The State of the Module System for more details.

Java

Initial

Final

Compiler Setting

Compatibility

Java 11

GeoTools 21.x

And Above

compiler=11

Java 11

GeoTools 21.x built with Java 11 can only be used in a Java 11 environment (and is not compatible with Java 8). Each jar includes an automatic module name for use on the Java 11 module path.

GeoTools Java 11 development is supported on both OpenJDK and Oracle JDK as downloaded from:

Java 11 Provider

License

Linux

macOS

Solaris

Windows

Free Updates

Oracle JDK

Binary Code License

x

x

x

x

2019 March

Oracle OpenJDK

GPL

x

x

x

2019 March

RedHat OpenJDK

GPL

x

2024 October

Adopt OpenJDK

GPL

x

x

x

2022 September

Warning

Since the API changes from Java version to version, building a GeoTools version with a newer Java SDK is risky (you may accidentally use a new method). Pull requests are tested against Java 11 and Java 17, but we do ask you to be careful.

Why JAVA_HOME does not work on Windows

How to use different versions of Java for building and running on windows.

Several projects expect to make use of the latest JRE run-time environment (for speed or new features). If your computer is set up with both a stable JDK for building GeoTools; and an experimental JDK for your other projects you will need to sort out how to switch between them.

One technique is to set up a batch file similar to the following:

  1. Hunt down the cmd.exe ( Start menu > Accessories > Command Prompt) and right click to send it to the desktop

  2. Edit the desktop cmd.exe short cut and change the target to:

    %SystemRoot%\system32\cmd.exe /k C:\java\java8.bat

  3. Create the C:\java\java11.bat file mentioned above, e.g. (actual versions may vary, if you have spaces in paths short paths might be required):

    set MAVEN_HOME=C:\java\maven-3.8.6
set JAVA_HOME="C:\PROGRA~1\ECLIPS~1\jdk-11.0.17.8-hotspot"

set PATH=%JAVA_HOME%\bin;%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem

  4. Please note that the construction of the PATH above is very important; JAVA_HOME\bin must appear before SystemRoot\system32 as the system32 contains a stub java.exe that looks up the correct version of Java to run in the registry.

    ../../_images/jdk.png

  5. You can see in the above screen snap that the My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft > Java Development Kit > CurrentVersion is set to 1.8.

    The 1.8 entry documents the path to the version of Java to run.

    Placing JAVA_HOME on the path before System32 shortcuts this annoying “feature”.