---
title: "What is the difference between JDK and JRE?"  
description: "What is the difference between JDK and JRE?"  
author: "Mukul Goenka"  
published: 2021-11-10  
updated: 2021-11-10  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/156821/what-is-the-difference-between-jdk-and-jre  
category: "java"  
tags: ["java", "programming language"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# What is the difference between JDK and JRE?

What is the [difference between JDK](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/157928/what-is-the-difference-between-jdk-jre-and-jvm) and JRE?

## Replies

### Reply by Ravi Vishwakarma

The **JRE** is the **Java Runtime Environment**. It is a package of everything necessary to run a compiled Java program, including the **Java Virtual Machine (JVM),** the Java Class Library, the java command, and other infrastructure.

- However, it cannot be used to create new programs.

The **[JDK](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/33789/java_home-does-not-point-to-the-jdk)** is the **Java Development Kit,** the full-featured SDK for Java. It has everything the JRE has, but also the compiler (javac) and tools (like javadoc and jdb).

- It is capable of creating and compiling programs.


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Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/156821/what-is-the-difference-between-jdk-and-jre

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