title: How to install Java 8 on Mac
body: <p>Editors note:  This question was asked in 2014, and the answers may be outdated.</p>
  <hr />
  <p>I want to do some programming with the latest JavaFX, which requires Java 8. I'm using IntelliJ 13 CE and Mac OS X 9 Mavericks. I ran Oracle's Java 8 installer, and the files look like they ended up at</p>
  <pre><code>/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_05.jdk
  </code></pre>
  <p>but previous versions are at</p>
  <pre><code>/System/Library/Java/JavaFrameworks/jdk1.6....
  </code></pre>
  <p>Not sure why the latest installer puts this in <code>/Library</code> instead of <code>/System/Library</code> (nor what the difference is). But <code>/usr/libexec/java_home</code> doesn't find 1.8, so all the posts I've found on how to set your current java version don't work. I've tried adding a symbolic link to make it look like 1.8 is in the <code>/System/Library...</code> path, but it doesn't help. <code>/usr/libexec/java_home -V</code> still only lists the old Java 1.6.</p>
  <p>Ironically, the &quot;Java&quot; control panel under System Preferences shows only Java 1.8!</p>
  <p>Why doesn't Oracle's installer put it where it really goes? And how can I work around this problem?</p>