Setting Up a Java 8 Game Development Environment - Beginning Java 8 Games Development - page 8

language (application programming interface [API]). You will learn more about what
an API is in Chapter 3 , when I cover the Java programming language in detail.
If you are only going to develop Java SE (Standard Edition) and JavaFX applica-
tions (games) for individuals , then click the first button. If you are going to develop
Java EE (Enterprise Edition) and JavaFX applications (games) for enterprise (busi-
ness), then click the second button. If you are going to develop both JavaFX and
HTML5 applications (games), which is what I do for my business, then you click the
fifth Download button, and download the “All” version of NetBeans IDE 8.0. This
version will allow you to develop in all the programming languages supported by
NetBeans!
Because the NetBeans IDE is free, and your workstation hard disk drive can handle
huge amounts of data, I recommend that you install this 204MB All version of the IDE,
in case you ever find that you need any of the other capabilities that NetBeans IDE 8.0
is able to provide for you as a software developer (Java EE, Java ME, PHP, HTML5,
Groovy, GlassFish, Tomcat, C++). This is an extra 120MB if you are going to install
the client-side, or Java SE IDE, version, but is less than 20MB of extra disk space if
you are going to install the server-side, or Java EE IDE, version.
Once you click the Download button, the software download will commence. After
it is finished, you will be ready to install Java 8 and then NetBeans IDE 8.0. Finally, to
complete the setup of your comprehensive Java 8 game development workstation, you
will get some ancillary new media content tools. You will be able to use the worksta-
tion as you read through this topic (and thereafter) to create epic Java 8 game deliver-
ables! This is getting exciting!
Installing the Java 8 Software Develop-
ment Environment
NetBeans IDE 8.0 requires Java to be installed in order to function (run), so you will
need to install the JDK and JRE first. Because you want to develop games using the
latest and most feature-filled version of Java, so you are going to be installing Java 8,
which was released in 2014. Installing the latest version of software ensures that you
have the newest features and the fewest bugs possible. Make sure to check often that
you are using the latest version of all your software packages; after all, these are open
source and free to download, upgrade, and use!