Change Mac OS Java VM: Step-by-Step Guide for /usr/libexec/java_home

If you're a Mac user and need to switch between different versions of Java Virtual Machine (JVM), you may find it difficult to determine which version is currently in use or how to change it. Fortunately, macOS provides a simple solution for managing multiple JVMs through the /usr/libexec/java_home command.

To begin, open Terminal and enter the following command to see which version of Java is currently in use:

java -version

This will display the version of Java that is currently active on your system. If you have multiple versions of Java installed, you can use the /usr/libexec/java_home command to switch between them.

To list the installed JVMs, enter the following command:

/usr/libexec/java_home -V

This will display a list of all the JVMs installed on your system. You can then use the /usr/libexec/java_home command to switch between the different versions. For example, to switch to Java 8, enter the following command:

export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.8)

This command sets the JAVA_HOME environment variable to the path of the Java 8 JVM. You can verify that the correct version of Java is now in use by running the java -version command again.

To make this change permanent, you can add the export command to your .bash_profile or .zshrc file.

In summary, the /usr/libexec/java_home command provides a simple and efficient way to manage multiple Java Virtual Machines on macOS. Use the command to list the installed JVMs and switch between them as needed. Remember to set the JAVA_HOME environment variable to make the change permanent.