Java Platform, Standard Edition Installation Guide
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2 Installer Enhancements in JDK 8

This page describes installer enhancements Oracle Solaris, Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Note: See Consolidated Release Notes for JDK 8 and JDK 8 Update Releases for New Features, Removed Features and Options, Known Issues, and Other Notes of importance about the version that you are installing.

This page contains these topics:

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

Oracle Solaris OS

Installer enhancements for Java SE Release 8:

The 32-bit editions of the JDK and JRE for SPARC and x86 architectures have been eliminated.

Installer enhancements for Java SE Release 8u20:

The Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) Enterprise JRE Installer is available, which enables you to install the JRE across your enterprise. See the MSI Enterprise JRE Installer Guide at https://docs.oracle.com/javacomponents/msi-jre8/install-guide for more information. The MSI Enterprise JRE Installer requires a commercial license for use in production. To learn more about commercial features and how to enable them, visit http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javaseproducts/.
The Java Uninstall tool has been integrated with the JRE installer. You can uninstall the JRE with the "Add/Remove Programs" utility in the Microsoft Windows Control Panel. You can also access the online Java Uninstall tool:

https://www.java.com/en/download/uninstallapplet.jsp

The Java Uninstall tool guides you through the removal of older JREs. See "Uninstalling the JRE" for more information about this tool.

Installer enhancements for Java SE Release 8:

The JDK and JRE installers add a "Java" item to the Windows Start menu. Sub-items give access to information and functions, such as help, the Java Control Panel, API documentation (JDK only), and checking for updates.
The Java Update user experience has been slightly improved.
The Java Update feature supports 64-bit architectures.
Command-line installation accepts a configuration file instead of, or in addition to, command-line options. The configuration file can be used to standardize installations across an enterprise. The configuration file also gives access to options not available on the command line. See "Installing With a Configuration File" for details.

Installer enhancements for Java SE Release 8u40:

The Oracle JDK is now registered with the alternatives framework and users can invoke java, javac, javadoc, and javap commands from the command line for the recently installed JDK.
Users can also now check which specific RPM package provides Java files (java, java-1.8.0, java-fonts, jre, jre-1.8.0, etc.). See "JDK Installation for Linux Platforms" for details.