To install Java on Windows you only need to follow these five simple steps. In this quick tutorial, we'll show you how to setup Java on Windows and run apps like Minecraft and Apache Tomcat on the JDK ...

Sure, Java is still “write once, run everywhere”. Portability is still a central priority. But, now with Java 7 and Sockets Direct Protocol a whole lot more can be done with the Java VM.

A statement by an Oracle executive affirms that Java 7 and updates to it should continue to work on Windows XP. Java 8 is a different story.

UPDATED. The regularly scheduled quarterly security updates for Java on July 15 will not include updates for Windows XP, which is now formally unsupported by Oracle.

To check which version of Java you have on your Windows computer, you'll need to open the Command Prompt.