Install Eclipse IDE on Ubuntu 20.04 — Step by Step Process ?
Eclipse is an open-source IDE used for java application development. It also supports some other programming languages like PHP, Perl, Android, C/C++. Eclipse can run on Linux, Windows, and MacOS.
Here at LinuxAPT , as part of our Server Management Services , we regularly help our Customers to perform related Linux Application development queries.
In this context, we shall look into how to install Eclipse IDE on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.
Different methods of Installing Eclipse IDE:
- Eclipse IDE installation via Direct Download.
- Eclipse IDE installation via Snap.
1. Eclipse IDE installation via Direct Download
Here, we will install the Eclipse IDE using the tar.gz package available at eclipse.org official website. This method helps you to install the latest version of Eclipse 2021-06 available at eclipse.org website. Follow the below steps to install Eclipse IDE on Linux Ubuntu.
i. In order to run Eclipse, you will first require JRE to be installed on your system. Use the command below to install JRE on your Ubuntu system:
Enter your sudo password, and if a y/n prompt appears during installation, type y and press Enter.
ii. Download the Eclipse tar.gz package from the Eclipse website Downloads page or use the command below:
The downloaded file will be in archive format.
iii. Extract the tar.gz archive using the command below:
The archive will be extracted to a directory named eclipse-inst-jre-linux64
iv. Now to install Eclipse, first move inside the extracted directory using this command:
Then use the command below to run the installer script:
After running the installer script, the following window will appear for you to choose the IDE package to install. Click the desired package to select it.
Now you can either specify an installation folder or leave the default folder selected. Then click the INSTALL button.
Then click Accept Now to agree with the license terms.
After the installation is completed, click Launch .
This will launch the Eclipse IDE application on your system.
After installation, you can launch Eclipse IDE from the Applications menu. Hit the super key and then search for the Eclipse using the search bar at the top.
2. Eclipse IDE installation via Snap
You can also install Eclipse IDE using the snap package. As of July 2021, the latest version of the Eclipse snap package is 2019-12. Follow the below steps to install Eclipse IDE on Linux Ubuntu:
i. First install snapd on your Ubuntu system using the command below:
Enter your sudo password, and if a y/n prompt appears during installation, type y and press Enter.
ii. Now install Eclipse using the command:
After installation, you can launch Eclipse IDE from the Applications menu. Hit the super key and then search for the Eclipse using the search bar at the top.
This will launch the IDE application on your system.
How to Uninstall Eclipse IDE from Ubuntu Linux System ?
If you need to uninstall Eclipse IDE for any reason, you can do it as follows:
If you have installed Eclipse IDE via the direct download method, you can remove it using the commands below:
If you have installed Eclipse IDE via snap, you can remove it using the command below:
[Need help in Installing any Software on Ubuntu OS? We are here for you . ]
Conclusion
This article covers how you can either use the direct download or the snap method to install Eclipse IDE on your Ubuntu system. Eclipse is a really powerful IDE that supports many programming languages. It provides numerous plugins and extensions for enhancing the functionality of your Eclipse such as source code version control (git, svn), class diagram generator, GUI builder.
How to install JRE (Java Runtime Environment) on your Ubuntu machine ?
In order to install JRE (Java Runtime Environment) on your Ubuntu machine, run the commands:
How to Install Eclipse IDE on Linux
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Table of Contents
Eclipse is a popular Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that offers a ton of features. But installing Eclipse can be quite the challenge – especially on Linux.
This guide aims to simplify that task by providing clear and concise instructions on how to install Eclipse IDE in Ubuntu.
By the end of this guide, you should have a working installation of Eclipse that you can use to develop your applications.
Prerequisites
This hands-on tutorial requires you to have the following items so that you may follow along with the examples seamlessly.
- A Linux computer with a desktop environment. This tutorial will use Ubuntu 20.04.
- Your Linux computer must have Java installed. This tutorial will be using OpenJDK 11.0.15.
- You must have access to the root account or an account with sudo privileges. This guide uses a root account to execute commands.
Installing Eclipse on Linux
The Eclipse package is not available in the Ubuntu package repository as of this writing, which means you cannot install Eclipse via apt or the Software Manager. Don’t worry; there are several ways to install the Eclipse IDE.
How to Install Eclipse IDE from the Snap Store (Terminal)
Eclipse is available in the Snap Store, so you can install it with the snap command. If you’re unfamiliar with Snap, it’s a package manager for Linux that allows you to install and update applications with a single command.
Snaps are convenient to install and update. They are safe to run and isolated from the rest of your system, so they don’t put your system at risk.
While Snap is an excellent app source, the Eclipse version available in the Snap store might not be the latest one.
1. First, open a terminal window on your computer and run the below command to confirm that Snap is installed.
If Snap is available on your system, you will see the version information in the result.
Checking the Snap version
2. If Snap is not installed, run the below command to install.
Installing Snap
3. Create a symbolic link between /var/lib/snapd/snap and /snap. Doing so gives Snap apps access to your home directory after the installation.
4. Now, update the Snap package list by running the below command.
Updating the Snap package list
5. Run the following command to install the latest stable version of Eclipse. This command downloads the latest stable version of Eclipse from the Snap store and installs it on your system.
The output below shows that you have successfully installed Eclipse IDE from the Snap store. The version number may be different depending on when you installed it. In this example, the Eclipse version from Snap is 2019-12 at the time of writing.
Snap is 2019-12
Installing the latest stable version of Eclipse.
6. At this point, you have successfully installed Eclipse IDE from the Snap store. To launch Eclipse, click on the Activities tab in the top left corner of your screen and search for Eclipse.
Launching the Eclipse IDE
How to Install Eclipse IDE using the Eclipse Installer
If you want the latest and greatest, install the official package from the Eclipse website. The version available on the official Eclipse website is always the latest one.
Compared with the Snap installation method, installing the official package requires more steps. But don’t worry. This section will walk you through the installation process step by step.
To install Eclipse from the official Eclipse website, follow these steps.
1. Open the Eclipse download website using your web browser.
2. Click the appropriate download link for Linux, as shown below. By default, the browser will download the file to your Downloads folder (
Downloading the Eclipse package
3. Extract the downloaded archive file using the commands below. These commands extract the contents of the package to the /opt directory.
You can choose any location you want to extract the file. But /opt is a common directory for optional software packages, so it’s a good choice.
The -xvzf options tell tar to (x) extract the (f) file through (z) gzip and display the progress (v).
Extract the downloaded archive
4. The installer extracts to the eclipse-installer subdirectory. To confirm the sub directory exists, run the below command.
See the extracted eclipse-inst
5. Change the working directory to the eclipse-installer subdirectory.
6. Now that you are in the eclipse-installer directory, run the ./eclipse-inst file to launch the installer.
7. On the Eclipse installer window, click the Eclipse IDE type you wish to install. This example installs the Eclipse IDE for Java Developers.
Selecting the installation type
8. Select your Java version and the installation directory on the next screen. The default Java version and installation directory are acceptable in most cases.
Tick the two checkboxes to launch Eclipse using the start menu and the desktop icon. Click the Install button to start the installation process.
Configuring the installation options
9. Next, click Accept Now on the Eclipse Foundation Software User Agreement page.
Accepting the Software User Agreement
10. Review the Licenses and click Accept to proceed.
Accepting the Licenses
The status changes to Installing.
Eclipse IDE installation in progress
11. After the installation, click the exit button and No to exit the installer.
Closing the Eclipse installer
Starting Eclipse
You’ve completed learning how to install Eclipse IDE. Depending on which installation method you used, there are a few ways to start the Eclipse IDE.
From the Terminal
If you installed Eclipse through the Snap Store, one way to start the Eclipse IDE is by running the below command in the terminal.
Note: This method does not apply if you installed Eclipse IDE using the Eclipse installer.
Starting Eclipse IDE from the terminal
From the Application Finder
Most Linux desktop environments have a search or application finder that allows you to search for an application and launch it.
For example, in Ubuntu GNOME, click the Activities menu and type “eclipse” to search for the Eclipse IDE.
Starting Eclipse IDE from the Activities search
Another example on the XFCE desktop, click the Application Finder icon on the dock. Type “eclipse” in this search bar to find the Eclipse IDE app and click Launch.
Starting Eclipse IDE from the Application Finder
From the Desktop Shortcut
If you installed Eclipse IDE using the Eclipse installer, the installer automatically creates a desktop shortcut for you. All you need to do is double-click the icon to launch the Eclipse IDE.
Starting Eclipse IDE from the Desktop shortcut
The Eclipse IDE Launcher asks you to specify the workspace directory. Choose the default location or browse to a different one as you wish. This workspace will store all your project files, including the preferences. Once you’ve selected the workspace location, click the Launch button.
Selecting the workspace location
Eclipse will now launch with your selected workspace. You will see the welcome screen when Eclipse launches successfully, as shown below. You can now start using Eclipse.
Eclipse IDE’s first launch
Conclusion
A popular IDE for Java development, Eclipse comes packed with features to help make your life as a developer easier. In this guide, you have learned the different methods to install Eclipse on Linux and how to launch it.
Are you looking to extend the Eclipse IDE features? The Google App market is a great place to start looking for plugins to add to your Eclipse installation. With over 1000 plugins available, you will find something that will help your development workflow.
Have you used Eclipse before? What are some of your favorite features? Let us know in the comments below!
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How To Install The Latest Version of Eclipse on Ubuntu
If you are into programming, you can always choose to write programs using the plain old text editors. And that will work for small projects with only a few files, or if you want to write small scripts or snippets.
But if you are considering serious programming or working on a not-so-small project, a normal text editor isn’t going to cut it anymore. You will need tools for organizing file structure, syntax highlighting, debugging, compiling and other necessary things depending on which type of project or language you are working with.
That is where Integrated Development Environment, or in short IDE, comes in. An IDE combines various tools for seamless development with a specific programming language. Generally, it contains code editor with syntax highlighting, compiler and/or interpreter, debugging tools and other features that are needed to work with that specific language. Multi-language supported IDEs are also available.
Note: Make sure you have Java installed on your system. You can follow our guide to install Java on Ubuntu Linux.
Eclipse is one such IDE that is primarily used for Java development. It can also be used with other languages, such as — C++, PHP, etc. Other languages support can be added on top of an existing installation or they can be installed as separate Eclipse packages.
You can use other modern open-source code editors for programming but if you ask me, I’ll always vote for Eclipse. And so, today we are going see how we can install the latest version of Eclipse on Ubuntu.
Eclipse IDE Interface
Installing the latest Eclipse on Ubuntu Linux
The apt package manager provides an old version of Eclipse in Ubuntu. This is why I won’t recommend using sudo apt install eclipse.
Eclipse doesn’t provide an official PPA or an easy way to install the latest version of it on Ubuntu. However, we shall mention two easy methods you can follow to easily install Eclipse on Ubuntu or any other Linux distro.
Method 1: Installing Eclipse using Snap [Easy]
You can install the snap package available for Linux. You can either install it from the terminal or the software center in Ubuntu.
Open the Software Center application in Ubuntu and search for Eclipse and install it from there.
Eclipse Snapcraft
We also have a guide on using snap packages if you are not sure about the support for snap packages for your Linux distributions.
If you proceed to install it via the terminal, here’s what you have to type in:
Method 2: Installing Eclipse from the official package [Slightly Complicated]
Make sure you don’t confuse “package” with the installer available. You can find the latest package for Eclipse here.
It is also worth noting that we assume the directory ‘Downloads’ as your default storage path to save the Eclipse package downloaded. If you have a different path, replace the file path from our set of steps.
So, once you have downloaded the package for Linux, simply follow the steps mentioned below to complete the installation:
1. Launch the terminal and enter the following command:
2. Next, you have to extract the downloaded package to this directory by entering the following command:
3. Now after extracting the files, we have to make a menu entry (so that when you search for Eclipse, an icon will come up in the app drawer). Here’s what to enter next:
Basically, we are making the file for the shortcut icon here. Next, we need to set up the shortcut to launch Eclipse. So, when the text editor opens, enter the following information and save it (copy-paste what’s written below):
4. Close the text editor and enter the following command to enable the shortcut icon:
Now, you just have to search for Eclipse in the app drawer and launch it.
Eclipse Shortcut
Wrapping Up
You can run Java programs in the Linux terminal but that is tiresome. Use an IDE like Eclipse and speed up your coding process.
If you face any kind of issues with the installation by following my procedure, make sure to let me know in the comments below.
Also, if you are new to Eclipse or want to know more about it, I would recommend you to head over to the official Eclipse website where you can find all kinds of documentation and guides on it.
Oh! and if you are a dark theme fan, you can change the color theme in Eclipse using additional plugins. Enjoy coding with Eclipse.