How to fix "class file versions up to 52.0" error in VS Code?

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1

How do I fix the “this version of the Java runtime only recognizes class file versions up to 52.0” error in Visual Studio Code?

I’m trying to run a Java program in Visual Studio Code, but I get an error saying “this version of the Java runtime only recognizes class file versions up to 52.0” while attempting to execute a class file with version 53.0. How can I resolve this issue and ensure compatibility between my Java runtime and compiled class files?

2

Hey! So, this issue typically arises because this version of the java runtime only recognizes class file versions up to 52.0. Essentially, it’s a mismatch between your Java runtime (JRE) and the version your class was compiled with. Class file version 52.0 corresponds to Java 8, and version 53.0 means it was compiled with Java 9 or later.

To check which version you’re working with, open up a terminal and run:

java -version

If it shows Java 8 or lower, you’ll need to update your JDK to a version that matches your compiled class file. Here’s how to do that:

  1. Install the latest JDK from Adoptium or Oracle.
  2. Open settings.json in VS Code and set the path to the JDK:
"java.home": "C:\\Path\\To\\Your\\JDK"

Restart VS Code, and you should be good to go!"

3

Good call on that fix, @ian-partridge But what if you can’t update your JDK for some reason? In that case, you can work around the problem by re-compiling your code to match your current runtime version. If you’re working with Java 9 or higher, just use the --release flag when compiling:

javac --release 8 MyProgram.java

Alternatively, if you’re using Maven, make sure your pom.xml specifies:

<properties>
    <maven.compiler.release>8</maven.compiler.release>
</properties>

And for Gradle, set the language version like this:

java {
    toolchain {
        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(8))
    }
}

This will ensure that your code is compiled for Java 8 even if you’re using a newer version of the JDK, which will prevent this version of the java runtime only recognizes class file versions up to 52.0 from being a problem."

4

Exactly, Both fixes should work, but sometimes the issue is actually that VS Code is using the wrong Java runtime, even when you’ve installed the correct JDK. If you’ve already updated the JDK but are still seeing the error, you might want to check which version VS Code is actually using.

Try this:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + P and search for “Java: Configure Runtime”.
  2. Select your installed JDK from the list.

Also, double-check your JAVA_HOME environment variable, which could still be pointing to an older JDK. Open a terminal and run:

echo %JAVA_HOME%  # Windows
echo $JAVA_HOME   # macOS/Linux

If it’s not pointing to your updated JDK, change it like this:

export JAVA_HOME=/path/to/your/jdk

Then restart VS Code. Lastly, make sure your VS Code project is configured to use the right compiler version by adding this to your .vscode/settings.json file:

"java.configuration.runtimes": [
    {
        "name": "JavaSE-17",
        "path": "/path/to/jdk-17",
        "default": true
    }
]

This will ensure that VS Code doesn’t default to an older Java version, and you won’t see the this version of the java runtime only recognizes class file versions up to 52.0 error anymore."