Installing Newer Java-FX for Visual Editor in JDeveloper

The visual web/JSF/JSP page editor in Oracle JDeveloper relies on the JavaFX technology to render the output. JavaFX however is no longer included in the Java distribution, and that is the reason that you are required to download a separate JavaFx extension through the check-for-updates menu option in JDeveloper 14 to get this functionality. This extension relies on JavaFX 22.

However, there are newer versions of JavaFX out there, and you might want to take advantage of improvments they include. In this blog we show how you can leverage newer JavaFX versions in JDeveloper. Important note - while these approach works; Oracle is not officially supporting these newer JavaFX versions.

To install an external version of JavaFX follow these steps:

1. Download platform (OS) and JDK specific compatible JavaFX zip/tar file. Downloable versions are currently distributed by Gluon and OpenJFX.
2. Unzip/untar JavaFX zip/tar file into your JDeveloper installation under the directory /Oracle/Middleware/Oracle_Home/jdeveloper
3. Edit /Oracle/Middleware/Oracle_Home/jdeveloper/jdev/bin/javafx.conf and update javafx-sdk-<VERSION> to <JavaFX directory name after unzipping>
4. For example update the line AddVMOption --module-path=../../javafx-sdk-<VERSION>/lib to AddVMOption --module-path=../../javafx-sdk-22.0.2/lib
5. Edit /Oracle/Middleware/Oracle_Home/jdeveloper/jdev/bin/javafx.conf and add "AddVMOption -Djdev.javafx.sdk.supported=true" at bottom of the file.
6. Edit /Oracle/Middleware/Oracle_Home/jdeveloper/jdev/bin/jdev.conf and add "IncludeConfFile javafx.conf" in the bottom of jdev.conf.
7. Delete System folder from ~/.jdeveloper/sys*** and start JDeveloper.

With these steps in place your visual editor should work and help you create pages faster.