This and the related documents is a Debian Java Howto. These pages describe various methods there is to install a Java Runtime Environment (JRE/J2RE) or a Java Development Kit (JDK/J2SDK) on the GNU/Linux distribution of Debian. The information applies also in most parts to other Debian-based distributions such as Ubuntu.

Because of licensing issues, the Sun Microsystems (or derived) Java is not directly available through Debian. Therefore one has to utilize some of the methods I have described on these pages to get Java installed.

Depending on with which method and what JRE/JDK you installed, and what web browser you use, you may have Java support functioning in your browser already.

Restart your browser after the installation of Java, if you already haven't done so, so that the plugin will be recognized if things have been set up automatically.

Use this following link to determine whether your Java plugin is working or not:

If the applet in the above link didn't load, follow the following link for instructions I have written about how to configure some popular web browsers to have Java support functioning in them with the Sun, IBM or Blackdown JREs already installed as per the methods mentioned earlier on thie page.

Java JRE/JDK Installation on Debian - Browser plugin / Java functionality in a web browser http://serios.net/content/debian/java/browser-plugin.php