For example, some Windows games require JRE.Īlthough rare, some older Java applications won't run on newer Java releases. Some programs require JRE (Java Runtime Environment) in order to operate without it, they simply won't run.

Oftentimes people will refer to Java / Java Runtime Environment (JRE) / Java Virtual Machine (JVM) interchangeably because essentially you can't have one without the other, though as I mentioned they are not the same. On Windows platforms, the JRE is essentially a single executable file that installs everything you need to run Java applications on your machine. To make the Java application cross-platform, it requires the ' Java Virtual Machine' (JVM) as an 'interpreter' between itself and the operating system.īoth Java and the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) come packaged together in what is called the ' Java Runtime Environment,' or 'JRE'. The Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is referred interchangeably with the term 'Java', though What's the Difference between Java and JRE? This means you can literally run the same Java application on one machine to the next, regardless of its operating system. This means it can run on different operating systems, whether it's Mac, Linux, Windows, or other devices, without making changes to the Java application itself. The beauty of Java (compared to other programming languages) is that it is cross-platform. Java is a widely used programming language that is used on computers, tablets, phones, and even appliances such as your refrigerator. I will explain all of this in more detail below.

Java is meant to be backwards compatible), though the only way to know is through trial and error. Generally speaking, uninstalling older versions of Java is recommended for security reasons and should not impact the programs that require Java to operate (I.E.: The simple answer is: Yes, it is possible to remove older Java updates, and there is an automated way to do this safely (explained below). Therefore, I haveįour questions: is it safe to remove old Java updates? If so, which Java updates can I uninstall? Can I remove older Java versions? Is the latest Java backwards I regularly receive messages from the Windows 10 Action Center that there is a new Java update available and that I need to download it due to security updates, which I always do. The other day I went to uninstall a program on my Windows 10 PC using Control Panel -> Programs and Features, and noticed there were about 20 or more Java updates installed on my system.

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