What's the oldest OS Java 8 supports?

Question

I'm writing some software in Java 8 and I want to know how to write the minimum requirements for the product page, so its users know if it'll work for them before they try to use it.

For example, I know Java was, at some point, supported on Windows XP and OS X Lion, but I'm not sure about older versions of those, or the oldest Linux (shell?) version that supports it.

Also, I suspect there are other reasons I shouldn't try to make my software support these OSs, and if those reasons are specific to running Java 8 on them, I'm all ears!

What are the oldest operating systems that my Java 8 SE software will run on?

Answer 1

It should run on any OS that support Java 8. According to Oracle, Minimum requirements as follows.

Windows

• Windows 10 (8u51 and above)
• Windows 8.x (Desktop)
• Windows 7 SP1
• Windows Vista SP2
• Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 (64-bit)
• Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 (64-bit)

(RAM: 128 MB Disk space: 124 MB for JRE; 2 MB for Java Update, Processor: Minimum Pentium 2 266 MHz processor, Browsers: Internet Explorer 9 and above, Firefox)

Mac OS X

• Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.8.3+, 10.9+

(Administrator privileges for installation, 64-bit browser, A 64-bit browser (Safari, for example) is required to run Oracle Java on Mac. )

Linux

• Oracle Linux 5.5+1
• Oracle Linux 6.x (32-bit), 6.x (64-bit)2
• Oracle Linux 7.x (64-bit)2 (8u20 and above)
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.5+1, 6.x (32-bit), 6.x (64-bit)2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x (64-bit)2 (8u20 and above)
• Suse Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2+, 11.x
• Suse Linux Enterprise Server 12.x (64-bit)2 (8u31 and above)
• Ubuntu Linux 12.04 LTS, 13.x
• Ubuntu Linux 14.x (8u25 and above)
• Ubuntu Linux 15.04 (8u45 and above)
• Ubuntu Linux 15.10 (8u65 and above)

(Browsers: Firefox )

Answer 2

It should run on any OS that support Java 8. According to Oracle, Changes the Minimum requirements as follows.

Windows

Windows 10 (8u51 and above)
Windows 8.x (Desktop)
Windows 7
Windows Vista
Windows XP
Windows 2000 
Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2003

(RAM: 128 MB Disk space: 124 MB for JRE; 2 MB for Java Update, Processor: Minimum Pentium 2 266 MHz processor, Browsers: Internet Explorer 6 and above, Firefox)

Mac OS X

Intel-based Mac running Mac OSX 9. and highter

(Administrator privileges for installation, all browser, all browser (Safari, for example) is required to run Oracle Java on Mac. )

Linux

Oracle Linux 5.5+1
Oracle Linux 6.x (32-bit), 6.x (64-bit)2
Oracle Linux 7.x (64-bit)2 (8u20 and above)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.5+1, 6.x (32-bit), 6.x (64-bit)2
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x (64-bit)2 (8u20 and above)
Suse Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2+, 11.x
Suse Linux Enterprise Server 12.x (64-bit)2 (8u31 and above)
Ubuntu Linux 12.04 LTS, 13.x
Ubuntu Linux 14.x (8u25 and above)
Ubuntu Linux 15.04 (8u45 and above)
Ubuntu Linux 15.10 (8u65 and above)
Debian Linux 5

(Browsers: Firefox,... )