Setup Java ME Application in 2024

Before iPhone and Android, Java ME¹ is the de facto to write mobile application on phone, such as Nokia and Ericsson. Most phone on that era was built-in with Java ME CLDC MIDP, allow us to run Java application and most of them is game.

This post is about to setup Java ME CLDC MIDP on Linux and Windows.

Some requirements that need to run this old technology on current year.

Install 32-bit library, here packages name on Arch Linux, so try to search equivalent on specific distro:

sudo pacman -S lib32-gcc-libs lib32-libxtst lib32-libxext lib32-libxt lib32-libxrender

Nothing, You good to go.

Download and install Java SE Development Kit 8u202 x86: https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/javase/javase8-archive-downloads.html.

WTK2.5.2 is build tools, utilities, and a device emulator that only support Linux but you can also run it on Windows. Since Java ME 3 has no support for Linux and Java ME 8 has no CLDC and MIDP.

Download and install: https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/java-archive-downloads-javame-downloads.html.

NetBeans 8.2 IDE is the last version ship with Mobility plugin.

Download and install: https://web.archive.org/web/20170428223910/https://netbeans.org/downloads/.

Install mobility plugin: Tools > Plugins > Available Plugins. Check all plugins within Java ME category and install.

Integrate WTK2.5.2 to NetBeans: Tools > Java Platforms, select Java ME CLDC Platform Emulator, choose WTK2.5.2 directory, next and finish.

Now you can create new project Java Me > Mobile Application and select CLDC and MIDP.

Some snake game I write².

• WTK2.5.2 emulator has bug loading localization and time zone causing emulator got stuck.
• The best way is to use VM Windows or Wine and install JDK 1.6 x86 and NetBeans 7.1.1 (Java ME already included).