The first thing you will need to do, before you get started on your course, is to download your Java compiler. For most courses, you'll need the full Java Standard Edition Java Development Kit (JDK). This download also includes the JRE:
Select the appropriate file under the 'Java SE Development Kit' links, accept the license, then download the file.
Once you have downloaded the JDK into a folder on your harddrive, go to that folder and double click on the file named (for example) jdk-8u144-windows-x64.exe to install it (version number may vary).( Note: This is assuming you are installing this file on a Windows machine.) Double click on the file to start the JDK Installer, and then follow the instructions the installer provides.
The installer will create a new directory named (for example) C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_144. Inside this new folder are a group of folders and files. You will need to set the path to this so that your computer can find the right programs required to compile and run your java programs. Setting Your Path for the JDK
The JDK does not provide an editor or any program icons to run them with. You have several options for creating, compiling, and running your Java program, but the most basic way to get started is by using a text editor. One that is recommended is Notepad++ (https://notepad-plus-plus.org/)
