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Installing the JDK
==================

Overview
========

The Java Development Kit - also known as the JDK - is required in order to develop Sponge plugins and/or work on Sponge itself.

Download
========

Before installing the JDK, uninstall any older versions of Java that are present on your computer.

.. note::

    We recommend using Java 7 for development. If you are adventurous, Java 8 is an option; however, many Minecraft servers have not yet migrated to Java 8. Avoid using Java 6, as Java 6 is outdated.

Oracle provides free downloads of the Java Development Kit on their website. Ensure that you are installing the JDK (Java Development Kit), not the JRE (Java Runtime Environment). There is a difference between the two.

* `Java Development Kit 7 <http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk7-downloads-1880260.html>`__
* `Java Development Kit 8 <http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk8-downloads-2133151.html>`__

Upon completion of the installation process, reboot your computer. The JDK should then be ready for use.

Track Continuation
==================

If you are following a track in **Preparing for Development**, your next step is:

* **Sponge (coremod):** :doc:`git`
* **Sponge API:** :doc:`git`
* **SpongeDocs:** This article is not included in the SpongeDocs track.
* **Plugin Development:** :doc:`ide/index`