Oracle SQLDeveloper on MacOS won't open after installation of correct Java

The post above is right: SQLDeveloper only runs under Java 8.

This is counter-intuitive as other programs runs under at least X version of a software (not only X version). I kept downloading Java 11 with no luck.

After 1 failed attempt a month ago and two hours of searching today, I found this easy fix worked for me.

Solution

1. Delete the following Java files and folders on your mac.

• /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin
• /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/(delete current java folder)

1.1 Remove the plugin:sudo rm -rf "/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin/"Alternatively, If sudo rm -rf makes you as uncomfortable as it should you can also:"Go to the folder" with (Command + Shift = G) and move it to the trash.

2. Download and install Java 8.https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk8-downloads-2133151.html

3. Launch SQLDeveloper.

Working solution for Mac running macOS Catalina 10.12.5 with openjdk 11 and SQLDeveloper 19.4.0.354:

Edit /Applications/SQLDeveloper.app/Contents/MacOS/sqldeveloper.sh:

1. Delete all the code before export JAVA_HOME=$TMP_PATH
2. Change export JAVA_HOME=$TMP_PATH to exportJAVA_HOME=<path_to_jdk>/jdk-11.jdk/Contents/Home
3. Start SQLDeveloper

If macOS complains about the files being downloaded from the internet call xattr -d com.apple.quarantine <filename>.

Incidentally I saw /Applications/SQLDeveloper.app/Contents/Resources/sqldeveloper/sqldeveloper/bin/jdk.conf has instructions for setting the java home by uncommenting and specifying SetJavaHome but that didn't work for me.

SQL Developer runs this which checks for java 9 then 8. We don't yet support (lack of a ton of testing) java 10. You went to new for us. Back up to 8 or 9 and should be fine.

We use /usr/libexec/java_home which allows us to specify which version of java we'd like to run. So even if you have N javas installed, it should return the highest one that was passed in with flags.

   #!/bin/bash               ##### THIS IS CHECKING FOR JAVA 9 #####   TMP_PATH=`/usr/libexec/java_home -F -v 9`   if [ -z "$TMP_PATH" ] ; then              ##### THIS IS CHECKING FOR JAVA 8 #####     TMP_PATH=`/usr/libexec/java_home -F -v 1.8`     if [ -z "$TMP_PATH" ] ; then       osascript -e 'tell app "System Events" to display dialog "SQL Developer requires a     minimum of Java 8. \nJava 8 can be downloaded from:\n http://www.oracle.com/technetwork    /java/javase/downloads/"'       exit 1     fi   fi