Eclipse is a Java-based application, which needs Java installed. Eclipse is distributed as a compressed archive and doesn't require an explicit installation step.
java -version
should give output like so:java version "1.7.0_09" Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_09-b05) Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.5-b02, mixed mode)
java -version
should report either:Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM
Note that Eclipse needs to write to the folder from which it is extracted, so it's normal that the contents are writable afterwards. Generally, installing into /Applications
or C:Program Files
, while being logged in with administrator account, is not recommended.
eclipse.exe
(Windows), eclipse
(Linux), or Eclipse.app
(OS X).Eclipse needs Java to run, and so the first step involved in installing Eclipse is ensuring that an up-to-date Java installation is available. By default, Eclipse will find a copy of Java installed on the path or from one of the standard locations. It is also possible to specify a different Java version by using the -vm
command-line argument.
If the splash screen doesn't show up, the Eclipse version may be incompatible with the JDK (for example, a 64-bit JDK with a 32-bit Eclipse, or vice-versa). Common error messages shown at the launcher may include Unable to find companion launcher
or a cryptic message about being unable to find an SWT
library.
On Windows, there is an additional eclipsec.exe
launcher, which allows log messages printed to the console to be seen. This is sometimes useful if Eclipse fails to load and no other message is displayed. Other operating systems can use the eclipse
command. Both eclipse.exe
and eclipse
support the -consolelog
argument, which can display more diagnostic information about problems while launching Eclipse.
The Eclipse workspace is a directory used for two purposes: as the default project location, and to hold the .metadata
directory containing Eclipse settings, preferences, and other runtime information. The Eclipse runtime log is stored in the .metadata/.log
file.
The workspace chooser dialog has an option to set the chosen value as the default workspace. It can be changed within Eclipse by navigating to File | Switch Workspace. It can also be overridden by specifying a different workspace location with the -data
command-line argument.
Finally, the welcome screen is useful for first-time users, but is worth closing (rather than minimizing) once Eclipse has started.