Documentation Contents
Java Platform, Standard Edition Installation Guide
Contents    Previous    Next

14 Windows System Requirements for JDK and JRE

This page describes 32- and 64-bit Windows processor, disk space, and memory requirements for the JDK and JRE.

This page has these topics:

See "JDK 8 and JRE 8 Installation Start Here" for general information about installing JDK 8 and JRE 8.

32-bit Platforms

This topic describes:

Processor Requirements

Both the Java SE Development Kit (JDK) and Java SE Runtime Environment (JRE) require at minimum a Pentium 2 266 MHz processor.

Disk Space Requirements

For the JDK, you are given the option of installing the following features:

  • Development Tools

  • Source Code

  • Public Java Runtime Environment

For the JDK, the installed image consists of all the files installed under the directory jdk1.8.0; for the JRE, it consists of all files installed under the directory jre1.8.0.

The directory Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update, or Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Java\Java Update on 64-bit operating systems, contains Java Update, which enables you to keep your computer up-to-date automatically with the latest JRE releases. See http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/technotes/guides/deploy/jcp.html#JSDPG759 for more information.

The installed image will, by default, be installed on the Windows drive - the drive where the Windows operating system is installed (sometimes called the system drive). Most often this will be the C drive. However, it is possible to install the installed image on any drive. For instance, the installed image for the JDK could be installed to a non-Windows drive with a custom installation.

Java SE uses the directory %APPDATA% to store temporary files. To determine the location of this directory, go to the Java Control Panel (from the Windows Control Panel). Select the General tab. In the Temporary Internet Files panel, click Settings. Note that only advanced users should modify the settings for temporary files.

In addition to the disk space required for the installed images, there must be sufficient disk space for Java Update. The following tables give the disk space requirements for the JRE and JDK, respectively:

JRE Installed Image
Java Runtime Environment, including JavaFX Runtime 124 MB
Java Update 2 MB

JDK Installed Image
Development Tools, including JavaFX SDK 245 MB
Source Code 27 MB
Public Java Runtime Environment See JRE table

Memory Requirements

The following table lists the minimum memory requirements for Windows 32-bit operating systems.

Version Memory
Windows 8 128 MB
Windows 7 128 MB
Windows Vista 128 MB
Windows Server 2008 128 MB


Note:

The minimum physical RAM is required to run graphically based applications. More RAM is recommended for applets running within a browser using Java Plug-in technology. Running with less memory may cause disk swapping, which has a severe effect on performance. Very large programs may require more RAM for adequate performance.

64-bit Platforms

This topic describes:

Processor Requirements

Both the JDK and JRE require at minimum a Pentium 2 266 MHz processor.

Disk Space Requirements

  • The JDK features available for 64-bit platforms are the same as those for Windows 32-bit operating systems.

  • The disk requirement for development tools for 64-bit platforms is 181 MB. The disk space requirements for source code and the public JRE are the same as those for Windows 32-bit operating systems, except for the JavaFX SDK (68 MB) and the JavaFX runtime (32 MB).

Memory Requirements

On Windows 64-bit operating systems, in 32- or 64-bit mode, the Java runtime requires a minimum of 128MB of memory.


Note:

The minimum physical RAM is required to run graphically based applications. More RAM is recommended for applets running within a browser using the Java Plug-in. Running with less memory may cause disk swapping, which has a severe effect on performance. Very large programs may require more RAM for adequate performance.

Contents    Previous    Next

Oracle and/or its affiliates Copyright © 1993, 2015, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Contact Us