Robocode/System Requirements

This page describes the system requirements for installing and running Robocode.

Robocode requires Java

To install and run Robocode, Java SE must be installed on your computer. You should use the latest stable version of Java, which at the time of this writing is Java SE 8. Java can be downloaded for free, and will run on almost all operating systems.

WARNING: Do not use Robocode with Java 9. It was released very recently, and certain Robocode features are broken when using it.

TL;DR: Download and install this.

Choosing the right version of Java

JRE vs. JDK

You may choose between installing:

• The Java Runtime Environment (JRE), which is the Java Virtual Machine used to execute Java programs.
• The Java Development Kit (JDK), which contains a bundle of software tools used for developing Java programs. The JDK includes the JRE.

If you only want to run existing robots, install the JRE. If you want to develop Robocode robots, install the JDK.

If you are not sure, install the JDK. Note that you can always install the JRE first and the JDK later on if you want to.

32-bit vs 64-bit Java

If you are using a 64-bit operating system (all modern Macs and most PCs after 2008 do), you should install Java x64. If you happen to be in the minority of people who still run a 32-bit operating system, install Java x86. You can install both versions, but there really is not much point.

To determine whether you are using a 32-bit or 64-bit OS, follow these instructions.

Multiple Java installations

Some computers have more than one version of the JRE and/or JDK installed on them. This is not a problem as long as your system has been properly configured.

Nevertheless, if you (and all of your programs) don't need an older version of Java, then should uninstall it. The fewer versions of Java you have installed, the better.

Java from Oracle is preferred

If you must choose between Java versions from different vendors, you should prefer the versions from Oracle. They are the official Java developers, and, in general, have the least buggy Java implementation. If you use Java from other vendors, Robocode might not be as stable or performant.

Configuring Java

Make sure Java is installed and configured properly. 95% of the problems people run into when installing and running Robocode are due to a faulty Java installation, incorrect Java configuration, etc.

Setting environmental variables on Windows

1. Find the path of the bin folder in where you installed Java. E.g. C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_144\bin.
2. Copy all of that.
3. Right-click on This PC/My Computer, and select Properties. The System panel should appear. Click on "Advanced system settings" in the left sidebar.
4. Click on the "Environmental Variables" button at the bottom right.
5. Under the category "System variables" in the lower box, scroll down to "Path" and double-click on it. (If "Path" does not exist, create it with the "New" button).
6. Add the path you copied in Step 1, to the list, with the "New" button.
   
   

See also

Installation Notes from Oracle

• Java Platform Standard Edition Installation Guide
• Certified System Configurations

Robocode API

• Robocode API

Beginner Guides

• Welcome to Robocode
• System requirements
• Download and install
• Getting started
• Frequently asked questions
• My First Robot tutorial
• Game physics
• The anatomy of a robot
• Scoring in Robocode
• Using the robot console
• Downloading other robots
• Learning from other robots
• Package your robot
• Articles about Robocode
• Starting Robocode from the command line
• Graphical debugging

External Editors

• Using Eclipse with Robocode
• Creating a project in Eclipse
• Creating a robot in Eclipse
• Running your robot from Eclipse
• Debugging your robot with Eclipse
• Using NetBeans with Robocode
• Using Gradle with Robocode

.NET Robots

• Creating a .NET robot in Visual Studio
• Debugging a .NET robot in Visual Studio
• Robocode .NET API

Links

• Robocode homepage
• Robocode project at SourceForge
• Robocode code repository at GitHub
• Robocode Google Group
• Robocode downloads
• Robocode RSS feed
• LiteRumble
• Robots archive
• Wikipedia entry for Robocode