How to Install The Latest Eclipse in Ubuntu 16.04, 15.10

Last updated: January 13, 2016

install Eclipse Ubuntu

This is a rewrite about how to install the latest Eclipse IDE in Ubuntu, since the old tutorial does no longer work after the Eclipse Installer was rolled out. Works on all Ubuntu releases.

1. Install Java.

Don’t have Java installed? Search for and install OpenJDK Java 7 or 8 via Software Center. Or install oracle java by following this post.

2. Download Eclipse from its website.

Check out your OS Type, 32-bit or 64-bit, by going to System Settings -> Details -> Overview, then select download Linux 32-bit or 64-bit of Eclipse Installer.

3. Run the installer wizard.

Decompress the downloaded archive in your file browser and navigate to the result “eclipse-installer” folder, right-click on file eclipse-inst and select Run.

Don’t see the “Run” option? Go to file browser’s Menu Edit -> Preferences -> Behavior -> check “Run executable text files when they are opened”, and finally log out and back in (or run nautilus -q command in terminal).

When the wizard launches, select install item, then installation folder, and finally click INSTALL button.

You may select Advanced Mode from top-right menu to get more options, network proxy settings, etc.

4. Create a launcher shortcut.

Open terminal from Unity Dash, Application Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below command and run:

gedit .local/share/applications/eclipse.desktop

The command creates and opens a launcher file, for current user, with gedit text editor. When it opens, paste below content:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Eclipse
Type=Application
Exec=/home/USERNAME/java-mars/eclipse/eclipse
Terminal=false
Icon=/home/USERNAME/java-mars/eclipse/icon.xpm
Comment=Integrated Development Environment
NoDisplay=false
Categories=Development;IDE;
Name[en]=Eclipse

Depends on your installation folder, check out in file browser, change the value in red.

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I'm a freelance blogger who started using Ubuntu in 2007 and wishes to share my experiences and some useful tips with Ubuntu beginners and lovers. Please comment to let me know if the tutorial is outdated! And, notify me if you find any typo/grammar/language mistakes. English is not my native language. Contact me via ubuntuhandbook1@gmail.com Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/ubuntuhandbook1 |

45 responses to How to Install The Latest Eclipse in Ubuntu 16.04, 15.10

  1. I can’t see the install option after selecting the installation folder

  2. you have to download the new installer package, not the usual packages:

    https://www.eclipse.org/downloads/installer-instructions.php

  3. I install it successfully, but I can’t make a shortcut for it, I installed a lot of eclipse IDE for java, c/c++ , Java EE and all of them have the same shortcut of Java EE !

  4. I install it successfully, but I can’t make a shortcut for it

    • By default the installation path is /home/USERNAME/eclipse/java-mars/eclipse so you have to replace the Exec and Icon lines by:

      Exec=/home/USERNAME/eclipse/java-mars/eclipse/eclipse
      Icon=/home/USERNAME/eclipse/java-mars/eclipse/icon.xpm

      where USERNAME is your personnal directory.

      • linuxfaceroll0r June 29, 2016 at 8:18 pm

        I did this, and I’m still unable to create a path for my directory in which I installed eclipse. I wonder what I did wrong, I’m trying to rectify the problem. Thanks!

        • You can put the file of your Desktop and right click on the file, go to properties,
          Permissions and allow executing file as program.

    • i am unable to download eclipse on my ubuntu 14.04
      i watched a youtube video to download it through terminal,and entered this command in terminal…now it says done … but i cant see the eclipse folder after searching
      sudo apt-get install eclipse eclipse-cdt g++
      plz help me out

  5. Simon Sherlock April 23, 2016 at 7:54 pm

    For creating the shortcut copy the path from the installer. For instance mine ended up being Exec=/home/simon/eclipse/jee-mars/eclipse/eclipse – this differs from the example shown

  6. Simon Sherlock April 24, 2016 at 8:42 am

    Anybody else finding it takes an age to do anything? I am struggling to connect to the update sites (Ubuntu 16.04)

  7. For troubble with ubuntu 16.04 LTS unity default desktop, change the line

    Exec=/home/USERNAME/java-mars/eclipse/eclipse

    to

    Exec=env SWT_GTK3=0 /home/USERNAME/java-mars/eclipse/eclipse

    Please read also “Recommended Settings for GTK” http://help.eclipse.org/mars/index.jsp?topic=%2Forg.eclipse.mylyn.help.ui%2FMylyn%2FFAQ%2FInstallation.html

  8. Hi,
    i am new using eclipse in ubuntu, and i have some problems. I can’t compile or execute a java application cause the eclipse goes to a pending state. all times i have to kill the process an restart the eclipse
    Can anyone helps me please?

    Thanks

  9. Hi,
    Followed above steps, but not totally successful on last step.
    The Eclipse code starts ok when I double click the executable eclipse item in its location (as specified in Exec=….).
    Also Eclipse appears as “Integrated Development Environment” under mainscreen drop down menu “Applications”,”Programming”. But the icon there is a red circle with diagonal?!
    And does not start the executable… :-(
    Any ideas???
    Thanks

  10. Easy way to install eclipse mars using non-setup download on Ubuntu into /opt, and make it available to any current directory from terminal.

    ~Through command line setup~

    Here I will use eclipse mars java development as an example –

    1. Download the eclipse mars for java developers package.

    – or you can wget -c download-address from terminal.

    2. Extract the package

    – in terminal -> tar -xvz package-name

    3. Move the package into /opt directory (require root access)

    sudo mv package-name /opt/

    4. Now open gedit or any text editor and type this –


    #!/bin/bash

    /opt/eclipse/eclipse

    and save as eclipse

    Now open teminal, and type this – chmod 755 eclipse;sudo mv /usr/local/bin

    Now type eclipse in any directory to test the installation.

    * Note this might not be working at all on some system, especially customized one.
    * Please use sudo carefully.

  11. Brendan McGrath June 1, 2016 at 5:56 am

    Just wanted to offer ‘Ubuntu Make’ (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-make) as an alternative. The following commands will install the latest version of Eclipse:
    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-desktop/ubuntu-make
    sudo apt update
    sudo apt install ubuntu-make
    umake ide eclipse

    • Hi Brendan.
      I’ve tried your solution but didn’t works for me.

      after i typed command ‘umake ide eclipse’, the following message shown :
      “ERROR: Download page changed its syntax or is not parsable”

      any clue?

    • Hi Brendan,

      Same error here trying your solution.

  12. Thank u a lot this was reallly helpful just try to copy the exact url of the image and the eclipse directory and everything works fine.
    Thank u again :)

  13. Sorry to talk about out of the topic of discussion. I would like to use the opportunity of seeing being a Chinese to request for an article or description of how to install the best Chinese character keyboard(Input) in Ubuntu. Most people are complaining about iBus. please explain to us the best Chinese pinyin /character keyboard on Ubuntu.
    谢谢您。

  14. for people who can not create shortcut don’t forget to write eclipses correct version into luncher file.

  15. I installed on ubuntu as root, as all software gets installed as root, and put it in /usr/local/bin but it
    1. Created loads of sub-directories
    2. Didn’t put in a proper shortcut
    3. Put a load of config stuff in /root which isn’t available for general user usage.

    I want a binary, and for it to pick up my old profile.

  16. I followed your instructions
    sudo asudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jdkpt-get install openjdk-8-jdk
    yields: “already installed”.

    When I tried to find an installer at the side you point to, I found; eclipse-java-neon-R-linux-gtk.tar.gz

    After unpacking this, there was no eclipse installer.

  17. i cerently have install ubuntu 16.04, i install eclipse Java EE IDE with the installer but it donsnt work as well !

  18. I had this message when a launch Eclipse installer
    JVM terminated.exit code 11
    /usr/bin/java
    -xms 256M
    -xmx 1024M

  19. Sir, when i start eclipse it shows some error. Plz help me to get rid of this problem….

    JVM terminated. Exit code=1
    /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle/jre/bin/java
    -Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.8
    -XX:+UseG1GC
    -XX:+UseStringDeduplication
    -Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.8
    -Xms145m
    -Xmx1024m
    -Declipse.p2.max.threads=10
    -Doomph.update.url=http://download.eclipse.org/oomph/updates/milestone/latest
    -Doomph.redirection.index.redirection=index:/->http://git.eclipse.org/c/oomph/org.eclipse.oomph.git/plain/setups/
    -jar /home/neeraj/A : matrix/my

    • Fernando Carvalho September 7, 2016 at 3:16 pm

      Had installed Java version 8, but I came up with a similar error, it was necessary only to set the Java 8 as default with the following command:

      sudo apt- get install oracle- java8 -set -default

      *In my case I was with Java 8 installed, but can be switched to version 7 that will also work.

      Then again I ran the Eclipse and everything went well, I have helped.

    • I am getting the same error as follows:

      VM terminated. Exit code=1
      /usr/bin/java
      -Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.8
      -XX:+UseG1GC
      -XX:+UseStringDeduplication
      -Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.8
      -Xms256m
      -Xmx1024m
      -jar /opt/eclipse//plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher_1.3.200.v20160318-1642.jar
      -os linux
      -ws gtk
      -arch x86_64
      -showsplash /opt/eclipse//plugins/org.eclipse.platform_4.6.1.v20160907-1200/splash.bmp
      -launcher /opt/eclipse/eclipse
      -name Eclipse
      –launcher.library /opt/eclipse//plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher.gtk.linux.x86_64_1.1.400.v20160518-1444/eclipse_1617.so
      -startup /opt/eclipse//plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher_1.3.200.v20160318-1642.jar
      –launcher.appendVmargs
      -exitdata 39e8028
      -product org.eclipse.epp.package.javascript.product
      -vm /usr/bin/java
      -vmargs
      -Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.8
      -XX:+UseG1GC
      -XX:+UseStringDeduplication
      -Dosgi.requiredJavaVersion=1.8
      -Xms256m
      -Xmx1024m
      -jar /opt/eclipse//plugins/org.eclipse.equinox.launcher_1.3.200.v20160318-1642.jar

      I have downloaded java-1.8.0-openjdk-amd64 to the /usr/lib/jvm directory from which the appropriate symbolic link was created automatically to the java-8-openjdk-amd64 directory. When I requested that the version of Eclipse for javascript and web development be installed the installer wizard must have found the previously downloaded java-1.8.0-openjdk-amd64 because previous attempts to perform the installation was requesting thta a java 1.8 VM be located. I did find that the default-java link located in the /usr/lib/jvm directory is pointing to the 1.7 version (java-1.7.0-openjdk-amd64) and not newly downloaded 1.8 JDK version. Is the current statte of the default-java link causing my issue? If so, how does it get set? Root owns the link for which I do not have the priveleges to change. Is there some way a non-priveleged user can override this link?

  20. I am trying to install eclipse neon on Ubuntu 16.04, I downloaded the tar.gz file and when I right-click on installer file and select Run – I do not see anything happening, which means installer file is not running – anything I should be checking here?

    I also tried these steps
    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-desktop/ubuntu-make
    sudo apt update
    sudo apt install ubuntu-make
    umake ide eclipse

    but giving error: ERROR: Download page changed its syntax or is not parsable

    any help please

  21. HI,
    The eclipse installer after i downloaded,if I right click on it nothing is happening.Please help how to install eclipse in ubuntu 16.04

  22. Hi, how can I unistall it, I try with “sudo apt-get remove eclipse” but eclipse was not founded. Any suggestions !

  23. how to complete uninstall eclipse ?
    is just remove folder eclipse ?

  24. Will need to append these 2 lines as well for eclipse.desktop file

    StartupNotify=true
    StartupWMClass=Eclipse-Java

  25. Have installed Eclipse JEE Neon on ubuntu 16.04 following your instruction and it worked absolutely fine! Thank You!

  26. Thank you for the instructions on creating the shortcut! Downloading the installer was simple enough and your instructions on installing Java were helpful as well, but the shortcut is what really helped me out. I didn’t know how to do that at all. Thank you thank you!

  27. For those having trouble, I came across this article “http://www.linuxhint.com/install-latest-eclipse-neon-2-in-ubuntu-16-10/” so hopefully might help also.

  28. what should i write in the place of the red value?

  29. Someone have tried this on 14.04?

  30. Can’t create shortcut. Did like instruction said, but failed. There should be more, we need example to show what to change with what.
    So I say, this is useless.

  31. I have currently installed Eclipse Neon 1a. If I install Neon 2 on top of it, do I need to install Maven,git,svn plugings again