BlueJ is an integrated development environment (IDE) for the Java programming language, developed mainly for educational purposes, but also suitable for small-scale software development. It runs with the help of Java Development Kit (JDK).
BlueJ was developed to support the learning and teaching of object-oriented programming, and its design differs from other development environments as a result. The main screen graphically shows the class structure of an application under development (in a UML-like diagram), and objects can be interactively created and tested. This interaction facility, combined with a clean, simple user interface, allows easy experimentation with objects under development. Object-oriented concepts (classes, objects, communication through method calls) are represented visually and in its interaction design in the interface.
What is BlueJ?
BlueJ is an open-source ides & code editor program for Windows from BlueJ Team (developed by Michael Kölling). It ranks 33rd by popularity among ides & code editors in this catalogue. It is written in Java. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit as MSI. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. The installer supports unattended (silent) installation. An MSI package is available for deployment with Group Policy, Intune or Configuration Manager.
Updates and version history
The current version is 6.0.1, released on September 4, 2026. 13 versions are listed since October 29, 2018, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 1.7 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 30,376 times. The source code on GitHub (k-pet-group/BlueJ-Greenfoot) has 150 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 12 of our languages. Similar programs include RStudio, Apache NetBeans and OpenCode.
Project description on GitHub: “BlueJ and Greenfoot”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- MSI package for managed deployment
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Updated in the last two months
- Also runs on Linux
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: BlueJ is an open-source ides & code editor tool for 64-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is BlueJ safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
7FE55FD4E5DE9E57C417891C813FB4EE28C62B5BF112435F9BA43A5CF8B5E315· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 13 versions ›13 versions over 8 years · about 1.7 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0.1Latest | September 4, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 6.0.0 | July 1, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 5.5.0 | June 3, 2025 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 5.4.2 | March 4, 2025 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 5.4.1 | September 23, 2024 | 265.7 MB | 64-bit MSI |
| 5.4.0 | July 30, 2024 | 265.7 MB | 64-bit MSI |
| 5.3.0 | March 18, 2024 | 247.6 MB | 64-bit MSI64-bit MSI |
| 5.2.1 | October 10, 2023 | 247.2 MB | 64-bit MSI64-bit MSI |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id BlueJTeam.BlueJ -echoco install bluej -ymsiexec /i BlueJ-windows-6.0.1.msi /qn /norestartmsiexec /x {5D31341F-509C-4208-928D-EC5374AF98AB} /qn /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask bluejflatpak install flathub org.bluej.BlueJInformation
- Publisher
- BlueJ Team
- Developer
- Michael Kölling
- Category
- IDEs & code editors
- Licence
- GNU General Public License version 2
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/k-pet-group/BlueJ-Greenfoot
- Written in
- Java
- Interface languages
- English
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- MSI
- Other platforms
- Linux
- Version
- 6.0.1
- Released
- September 4, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- May 29, 2021
- Versions listed
- 13
- Updates / year
- 1.7
- Chocolatey downloads
- 30,376
- GitHub stars
- 150
- GitHub forks
- 52
- Website
- bluej.org
- winget ID
- BlueJTeam.BlueJ
- Chocolatey package
- bluej
- MSI product code
- {5D31341F-509C-4208-928D-EC5374AF98AB}
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is BlueJ free?
Yes. BlueJ is open-source software under the GNU General Public License version 2 licence.
Is BlueJ safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install BlueJ with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can BlueJ be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer, including msiexec for the MSI package.
Does BlueJ run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of BlueJ?
The versions page lists all 13 versions with links to their official installer files, back to October 29, 2018.
Can I use BlueJ without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to BlueJ?
RStudio, Apache NetBeans, OpenCode, Node.js (LTS) and Thonny. The alternatives page compares them.
