Install jdk
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html
Download the necessary jdk for your flavor of linux 32 or 64 bit. You can use alien to convert the rpm to a deb installer or just download the .tar.gz file and follow the steps below.
sudo tar -zxf jdk-8u111-linux-x64.tar.gz -C /opt/java
I do have links for two jdk variables, currently jdk for jdk1_7_76 and jdk2 for jdk_1_8_111.
Create link
sudo ln -sf /opt/java/jdk1.8.0_111/ /opt/java/jdk2
sudo ln -sf /opt/java/jdk1.7.0_76/ /opt/java/jdk
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/sql-developer/downloads/index.html
Download the release that you’d like to use. You’ll just need to make sure that you download the Other Platforms option.
joshua@LOKI:~$ cd Downloads/
joshua@LOKI:~/Downloads$ ls
jdk-7u76-linux-x64.tar.gz sqldeveloper sqldeveloper-4.1.5.21.78-no-jre.zip
joshua@LOKI:~/Downloads$ sudo rm -rf sqldeveloper
joshua@LOKI:~/Downloads$ sudo unzip sqldeveloper-4.1.5.21.78-no-jre.zip -d /opt/
joshua@LOKI:/opt/sqldeveloper$ ls -altr
total 184
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 71 Sep 16 12:35 sqldeveloper.sh
-rw-r–r– 1 root root 1404 Sep 16 12:35 icon.png
-rw-r–r– 1 root root 83456 Sep 16 12:35 sqldeveloper.exe
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 ..
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 dataminer
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 configuration
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 dvt
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 dropins
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 equinox
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 external
drwxr-xr-x 9 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 ide
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 javavm
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 jdbc
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 jdev
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 jlib
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 jviews
drwxr-xr-x 14 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 modules
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 netbeans
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 sleepycat
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 rdbms
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 ords
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 sqldeveloper
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 sqlj
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 svnkit
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 sqlcl
drwxr-xr-x 23 root root 4096 Nov 3 11:16 .
Replace the ugly stock icon with higher resolution icon with transparent background
joshua@LOKI:/opt/sqldeveloper$ sudo mv icon.png icon.png.bak
joshua@LOKI:/opt/sqldeveloper$ sudo cp /home/joshua/Pictures/sqldev_icon_new.png icon.png
joshua@LOKI:/opt/sqldeveloper$ ls
configuration dropins equinox icon.png ide jdbc jlib modules ords sleepycat sqldeveloper sqldeveloper.sh svnkit
dataminer dvt external icon.png.bak javavm jdev jviews ne
Create link
joshua@LOKI:/opt/sqldeveloper$ sudo ln -s /opt/sqldeveloper/sqldeveloper.sh /usr/local/bin/sqldeveloper
Launch SQL Developer for the first time to link it with the necessary version of java jdk (jdk 1.8 in this instance). I have to go through this step instead of just creating a symbolic link and default version of java for my machine because I have to run three versions of java to support outdated software that just won’t go away.
joshua@LOKI:/opt/sqldeveloper$ ./sqldeveloper.sh
Oracle SQL Developer
Copyright (c) 1997, 2015, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Type the full pathname of a JDK installation (or Ctrl-C to quit), the path will be stored in /home/joshua/.sqldeveloper/4.1.5/product.conf
/opt/java/jdk1.8.0_111/
If you’ve been using SQL Developer for a while, you’ll likely have several connections that you’ll want to export as an XML file and import into this newly installed instance.
Create a desktop application link
cd /usr/share/applications
sudo vim sqldeveloper.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Exec=/opt/sqldeveloper/sqldeveloper.sh
Terminal=false
StartupNotify=true
Categories=GNOME;Oracle;
Type=Application
Icon=/opt/sqldeveloper/icon.png
Name=Oracle SQL Developer
jjdba - Oracle Apps DBA & Enterprise Architect 