How to set Java PATH and CLASSPATH in IntelliJ IDEA

01 Oct 2023

programming

IntelliJ IDEA is a popular integrated development environment (IDE) for Java. When working with Java projects, it is essential to set the right Java PATH and CLASSPATH in IntelliJ IDEA to ensure that your code runs correctly. In this blog post, we will guide you on how to set these environment variables in IntelliJ IDEA.

Setting Java PATH

The Java PATH is used by the operating system to locate the Java executable files. To set the Java PATH in IntelliJ IDEA, follow these steps:

Open your IntelliJ IDEA application.
Go to File > Project Structure (or press Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S).
In the Project Structure dialog, select SDKs under Platform Settings on the left sidebar.
Click the + (plus) icon to add a new SDK.
Select JDK and browse to the directory where your Java Development Kit (JDK) is installed.
Click OK to save the SDK settings.

Now, IntelliJ IDEA knows the location of your JDK. You can compile and run Java code without encountering any issues related to the Java PATH.

Setting CLASSPATH

The CLASSPATH tells the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) where to find the compiled Java classes and libraries at runtime. To configure the CLASSPATH in IntelliJ IDEA, perform the following steps:

Open your IntelliJ IDEA application.
Go to File > Project Structure (or press Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S).
In the Project Structure dialog, select Modules under Project Settings on the left sidebar.
Select the relevant module for which you want to set the CLASSPATH.
Go to the Dependencies tab.
Click the + (plus) icon and select the appropriate dependency type (e.g., JARs or directories) based on your needs.
Browse to the directory or select the JAR file(s) that contain the necessary classes or libraries.
Click OK to save the changes.

By setting the CLASSPATH in IntelliJ IDEA, you ensure that your Java program can access any required external classes or libraries.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we discussed how to set the Java PATH and CLASSPATH in IntelliJ IDEA. By correctly configuring these environment variables, you can leverage the full power of the IntelliJ IDEA IDE and develop Java applications smoothly.

#programming #Java-Tips