It does depend upon the your Java installation. Some OS versions will allow the installation of multiple different java versions and they have a command that will point to your default version.
If you install your own version of Java like the Zulu OpenJDK from Azul, you can install multiple versions in /opt and then create a symbolic file link to point to the version you want to use.
Steps: Set JAVA_HOME, install your java versions, create link to the version you need.
Example:
Set JAVA_HOME to /opt/java.
Install zulu8.90.0.19-ca-jdk8.0.472-linux_x64 and zulu11.84.17-ca-jdk11.0.29-linux_x64
To link to Java8 run: ln -s /opt/zulu8.90.0.19-ca-jdk8.0.472-linux_x64 /opt/java
To link to Java11 run: ln -s /opt/zulu11.84.17-ca-jdk11.0.29-linux_x64 /opt/java
ls -al /opt (shows link to java 11)
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 36 Jan 20 14:37 java -> zulu11.84.17-ca-jdk11.0.29-linux_x64/
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 146 Oct 4 2025 zulu11.84.17-ca-jdk11.0.29-linux_x64/
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 236 Oct 4 2025 zulu8.90.0.19-ca-jdk8.0.472-linux_x64/
As you install different versions of OpenJDK you only need to change the link to point to the newer version.
Note: You may need to recompile custom UDRs after changing the java version on a running system.
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Daniel Karwatka
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Original Message:
Sent: Tue April 21, 2026 11:16 PM
From: Tatiana Flores
Subject: Java Version for Informix Installation
Hello Daniel... I'm facing with that about informix 14.10.FC13 installation... I want to update from informix1410FC11 to 1410FC13 but I don't know how to specify in the ids_install the JAVA_HOME to point java11 without desinstall java 8 because 1410FC11 is using it... do you know how to specify the path?
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Tatiana Flores
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