'javac' is not recognized as an internal or external command [Solution]

'javac' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file error comes when you try to compile a Java source file using the javac command like javac Helloworld.java but your PATH is not set properly. It means that the javac.exe executable file, which exists in the bin directory of the JDK installation folder is not added to the PATH environment variable. You need to add the JAVA_HOME/bin folder in your machine's PATH to solve this error. You cannot compile and run a Java program until your add Java into your system's PATH variable

Here is how this error looks like in the command prompt of the windows machine :

'javac' is not recognized as an internal or external command error windows



Steps to fix 'javac' is not recognized as an internal or external command :

Let's see how to fix this problem to compile and run Java program from the command line :

1) Open command prompt in Windows by clicking the Start button and then typing cmd on the run window, as shown in the following screenshot :

How to open command prompt in windows


2) Type echo %PATH%,  it will now show you all the directories which are available in the PATH environment variable. Now copy this PATH output into your text editor like Notepad or Word-pad and search if it contains the JDK installation directory or JAVA_HOME

For example, if your JDK is installed on "c:\program files\java\jdk1.8.0", then PATH should include "c:\program files\java\jdk1.8.0\bin". It's important to include bin directory because all executables required to compile, run and debug Java programs are stored in the bin directory.  

Sometimes you will also see like %JAVA_HOME%\bin, where JAVA_HOME is another user-defined environment that points to the Java installation directory. 



3) If PATH doesn't contain a bin directory of JDK, then you can add them into PATH by following the command

set PATH = %PATH%;"c:\program files\java\jdk1.8.0\bin

This is also known as setting PATH in Java. Once PATH is set you can compile, run and monitor Java programs by using various tools which comes with JDK installation. If you are not very familiar with setting environment variables from the command prompt, you can also use the settings window as shown in this article.

4) Don't forget to close the current command prompt and open a new one before running the javac command again.  Any change in the environment variable is only available to new cmd windows.


That's all about how to fix 'javac' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file error in Windows. You might get a similar error like 'java' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file if you try to run an already compiled Java program and PATH is not set in your machine.

62 comments:

  1. Hey Guys,
    Even I was having the same issue and I did following 2 things which finally worked for me:
    1. In system variables (in Advanced tab) created a new variable 'CLASSPATH' with value 'C:\Program Files\Java\jre-10\lib'
    2. Closed current cmd prompt window (as it was still giving the same error), opened new cmd window where I got correct response for javac :)
    Hope it helps.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, it was "the" exact case.

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    2. Thank You, It worked for me

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    3. finally thank you

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    4. still broken...

      Is it because one of my other programs had a variable called path? Anyway I removed that program but its still busted.

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    5. just install jdk 8. can't run programs at jdk 9 up

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    6. Thanks it works for me using two steps you mention.

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    7. Yash Jagtap , Thanks

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    8. Thanks a lot, this worked for me

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  2. Thanks, Its Working

    ReplyDelete
  3. I use this very steps and used to work.. But now its not working..
    What to do? Plzz help

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Unknown, can you please provide more details, what are you trying to do, what is your system, what is in your PATH environment variable etc?

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    2. the version might have changed...

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  4. Working by setting c:\program files\java\jdk1.8.0\bin as 'path' in user variables(Y)

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  5. Thanks. Its working for me by setting c:\program files\java\jdk1.8.0\bin as 'PATH' in user variables(Y).

    ReplyDelete
  6. Replies
    1. Can you please provide some more details? what error you are getting, what is in your PATH and CLASSPATH? What have you tried so far? This will help me to understand the issue better and help you faster.

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    2. Tried path, tried class path and path.
      Path = C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-12.0.1\bin

      Windows 7 64 bit operation system.
      I have installed java 5 times now, 0 have worked. Followed 5 completely different tutorials, 0 worked.

      Error is javac is not recognized as internal or external command program batch file.html (read the title...)

      Does it have to be called PATH or CLASS PATH or what.

      I recently had a broken called brakets that had a path file so I deleted it, probably makes no effect I don't know.

      My PC isn't very good, does that make a different. I don't know, it can run other things, e.g. unity.

      Is that enough info?

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    3. can you open a command prompt and run the echo %PATH% for me and print the output here?

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    4. C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Users\bose-3\.dnx\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft DNX\Dnvm\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\Windows Performance Toolkit\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\130\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Emulator Manager\1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Team Foundation Server 2015 Power Tools\;C:\Android;C:\Windows\System32;c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\Binn\;c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\Binn\;c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files\nodejs\;C:\Program Files (x86)\WebEx\Productivity Tools;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Team Foundation Server 2012 Power Tools\Best Practices Analyzer\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Webex\Webex\Applications;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\120\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.8.0_161\bin

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