Installing and Getting Started with SQL Developer

To install and start SQL Developer, you simply download a ZIP file and unzip it into a desired parent directory or folder, and then type a command or double-click a file name. You should read the Oracle SQL Developer Installation Guide before you perform the installation. After you have read the installation guide, the basic steps are:

  1. Unzip the SQL Developer kit into a folder (directory) of your choice, which will be referred to as <sqldeveloper_install>. Unzipping the SQL Developer kit causes a folder named sqldeveloper to be created under the <sqldeveloper_install> folder.

    For example, if you unzip the kit into C:\, the folder C:\sqldeveloper is created, along with several subfolders under it.

    If Oracle Database (Release 11 or later) is also installed, a version of SQL Developer is also included and is accessible through the menu system under Oracle. This version of SQL Developer is separate from any SQL Developer kit that you download and unzip on your own, so do not confuse the two, and do not unzip a kit over the SQL Developer files that are included with Oracle Database. Suggestion: Create a shortcut for the SQL Developer executable file that you install, and always use it to start SQL Developer.

  2. To start SQL Developer, go to the sqldeveloper directory under the <sqldeveloper_install> directory, and do one of the following:

    On Linux and Mac OS X systems, run sh sqldeveloper.sh.

    On Windows systems, double-click sqldeveloper.exe.

    If you are asked to enter the full pathname for the JDK, click Browse and find it. For example, on a Windows system the path might have a name similar to C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_51. (If you cannot start SQL Developer, it could be due to an error in specifying or configuring the JDK. See Java Development Kit (JDK) Location for more information.)

  3. If you want to become familiar with SQL Developer concepts before using the interface, read the rest of this chapter before proceeding to the next step.

  4. Create at least one database connection (or import some previously exported connections), so that you can view and work with database objects, use the SQL Worksheet, and use other features.

    To create a new database connection, right-click the Connections node in the Connections navigator, select New Connection, and complete the required entries in the Create/Edit/Select Database Connection dialog box. (You may also be able to generate connections automatically by right-clicking the Connections node and selecting Create Local Connections, as explained in Database Connections.)

  5. Do the short tutorial in SQL Developer Tutorial: Creating Objects for a Small Database, or work with your existing objects.