How to install Eclipse?

If you've downloaded Eclipse from their official website, follow these steps for the installation.

1. Extract the eclipse.XX.YY.tar.gz using

   tar -zxvf eclipse.XX.YY.tar.gz
   

2. Become root and Copy the extracted folder to /opt

   sudo mv eclipse.XX.YY /opt
   

3. Create a desktop file and install it:

   gedit eclipse.desktop
   

   and copy the following to the eclipse.desktop file

   [Desktop Entry]
   Name=Eclipse 
   Type=Application
   Exec=env UBUNTU_MENUPROXY=0 eclipse44
   Terminal=false
   Icon=eclipse
   Comment=Integrated Development Environment
   NoDisplay=false
   Categories=Development;IDE;
   Name[en]=Eclipse
   

   and make sure that it has executable permission, then execute the following command to automatically install it in the unity:

   sudo desktop-file-install eclipse.desktop
   

4. Create a symlink in /usr/local/bin using

   sudo ln -s /opt/eclipse/eclipse /usr/local/bin/eclipse44
   

5. For eclipse icon to be displayed in dash, eclipse icon can be added as

   sudo cp /opt/eclipse/icon.xpm /usr/share/pixmaps/eclipse.xpm
   

6. Don't forget that you need to have either OpenJDK or Sun Java installed to be able to run eclipse. Check this question for more information about Java installation. Here is a simple example of installing Open JDK 1.6:

   sudo apt-get install openjdk-6-jdk
   

7. Launch Eclipse and then give it the required permissions to modify the osgi file:

   sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /opt/eclipse/configuration/org.eclipse.osgi
   

   NB! You must launch Eclipse first, because the org.eclipse.osgi directory is created only after the first launch.

That's it.

The preferred method: Software Center

1. In Ubuntu software center select Eclipse. I installed the Extensible Tool Platform and Java IDE as well, but installing that is optional.

   

2. Enter your password in the authentication dialog. This will get you 3.7.1 inside of a package management system.

The least preferred method: Portable

For a portable installation you can still download directly from the Eclipse website. This gives you the ability to customize several Eclipse installations for different languages CDT, Java, and PyDev or Aptana for instance. It doesn't allow automatic updates. Installing through Software Center is always the preferred method.

I tested the portable 3.7.1 and 3.7.2 tar balls and they work just fine on 12.04 LTS.

An added disadvantage to portable installs is that you have to update your launcher if you move the folder or launch it directly.

How to install Eclipse 4.2 on Ubuntu 12.04

Since the Eclipse packages in the Ubuntu repositories are out of date, if we want to install latest releases, we are going to have to do it manually. You can just download the tar.gz file from eclipse.org.

1. Download Eclipse. I got eclipse-jee-juno-SR1-linux-gtk.tar.gz

2. Extract it by executing a command line

   tar -xzf eclipse-jee-juno-SR1-linux-gtk.tar.gz
   

   Or with Archive Manager extraction.

3. Move extracted eclipse folder to /opt/ folder

   mv eclipse /opt/
   sudo chown -R root:root /opt/eclipse
   sudo chmod -R +r /opt/eclipse
   

4. Create an eclipse executable in your user path

   sudo touch /usr/bin/eclipse
   sudo chmod 755 /usr/bin/eclipse
   

   Create a file named eclipse in /usr/bin/ with your preferred editor (nano, gedit, vi...)

   Copy this into it

   #!/bin/sh    
   export ECLIPSE_HOME="/opt/eclipse"
   $ECLIPSE_HOME/eclipse $*
   

   And save the file

5. Create a Gnome menu item

   Create a file named eclipse.desktop in /usr/share/applications/ with your preferred editor (nano, gedit, vi...)

   Copy this into it

   [Desktop Entry]
   Encoding=UTF-8
   Name=Eclipse
   Comment=Eclipse IDE
   Exec=eclipse
   Icon=/opt/eclipse/icon.xpm
   Terminal=false
   Type=Application
   Categories=GNOME;Application;Development;
   StartupNotify=true
   

   And save the file

6. Launch Eclipse

   /opt/eclipse/eclipse -clean &

7. Now you can Lock Eclipse to the launcher bar by clicking right button on Lock to Laucher

I recommend you to download directly from the eclipse website. the installation process very easy, just extract the files tar.gz, to remove it is also quite easy, simply by deleting the eclipse folder :D

From your desktop, Click on the Ubuntu Software Center

Once it opens do a search for Eclipse

When the search is done, you will see Eclipse listed. all you have to do is click on install, sit back and relax until the installation is done.

If you still have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.

This is the instructions copied from http://www.inforbiro.com/blog-eng/ubuntu-12-04-eclipse-installation/

How to install Eclipse IDE platform on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Precise Pangolin

1) Open a terminal and enter the command

sudo apt-get install eclipse-platform

2) After Eclipse is installed you can install development plugins based on your needs, e.g.:

will install Java Development Tools (JDT) package for Eclipse

sudo apt-get install eclipse-jdt

will install C/C++ development tools packages for Eclipse

sudo apt-get install eclipse-cdt

You can use ubuntu-make to install Eclipse on Ubuntu :

Installing Ubuntu Make :

For Ubuntu 14.04 LTS :

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-desktop/ubuntu-make
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-make

For Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and newer :

Ubuntu make is already in the official repositories.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-make

Installing Eclipse :

umake ide eclipse

Uninstall Eclipse :

umake ide eclipse --remove

Always download the packaged eclipse from their website. Its best for you to place the eclipse.tar.gz into your opt directory and create symbolic to it and use that around your system.

So if you end up upgrading in the future, all your shortcuts and links wont die.

This is the preferred setup for eclipse. IMO

I created this little script to install on a bunch of Cinnamon machines. You might have to change specific stuff for your needs but you can use this as a template for your own.

#!/usr/bin/env bash

wget -P /tmp/ http://eclipse.mirror.triple-it.nl/technology/epp/downloads/release/kepler/SR1/eclipse-standard-kepler-SR1-linux-gtk-x86_64.tar.gz

tar -xzf /tmp/eclipse-standard-kepler-SR1-linux-gtk-x86_64.tar.gz -C /opt/
chown -R root: /opt/eclipse/

cat <<- 'EOF' > /usr/bin/eclipse42
    #!/bin/sh    
    export ECLIPSE_HOME="/opt/eclipse"
    $ECLIPSE_HOME/eclipse "$@"
EOF

chmod +x /usr/bin/eclipse42

cat <<- EOF > /usr/share/applications/eclipse42.desktop
    [Desktop Entry]
    Encoding=UTF-8
    Name=Eclipse
    Comment=Eclipse IDE
    Exec=eclipse42
    Icon=/opt/eclipse/icon.xpm
    Terminal=false
    Type=Application
    Categories=GNOME;Application;Development;IDE;
    StartupNotify=true
EOF

You can now run Kepler by typing eclipse42 or wait for the menu to refresh (or enter restart) to find it there.

Feel free to comment changes you'd recommend.

As with any other Eclipse version, you don't have to get it from the repositories. Just download the appropriate archive from eclipse.org, extract and run Eclipse.

Eclipse in the repositories is often outdated. It is usually updated every ubuntu release.