Minecraft requires different Java versions depending on the game version. SDKMAN manages all JDKs in ~/.sdkman/ — no system Java is involved.
| Minecraft Version | Required Java |
|---|---|
| 1.8 – 1.16 | Java 8 |
| 1.17 | Java 16 |
| 1.18 – 1.20 | Java 17 |
| 1.21+ | Java 21 |
Each server’s run.sh sets JAVA_VERSION at the top. SDKMAN installs the correct JDK automatically on first run if it is not already present.
To see available JDKs: sdk list java To install a JDK: sdk install java 17.0.9-tem To see installed JDKs: sdk list java | grep installed