Ubuntu – Unable to install Oracle SQL Developer 4.0.2 (4.0.2.15.21) from rpm file

I installed SQL Developer with these steps:

1. (See the comments—this might not be necessary)
   Download and re-install newest Ubuntu 14.04 LTS from Ubuntu website.

2. Install Java:

   • Java Version JDK 7:

     sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jdk openjdk-7-jre icedtea-7-plugin
     sudo update-alternatives --config java
     

   • Java Version JDK 8 (in some installations this is a requirement instead of 1.7):

     sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java
     sudo apt-get update
     sudo apt-get install oracle-java8-installer
     sudo update-alternatives --config java
     

3. Download SQL Developer from Oracle website (I chose Other Platforms download).

4. Extract file to /opt:

   sudo unzip sqldeveloper-*-no-jre.zip -d /opt/
   sudo chmod +x /opt/sqldeveloper/sqldeveloper.sh
   

5. Linking over an in-path launcher for Oracle SQL Developer:

   sudo ln -s /opt/sqldeveloper/sqldeveloper.sh /usr/local/bin/sqldeveloper
   

6. Edit /opt/sqldeveloper/sqldeveloper.sh and replace it's content to:

   #!/bin/bash
   unset -v GNOME_DESKTOP_SESSION_ID
   cd /opt/sqldeveloper/sqldeveloper/bin
   ./sqldeveloper "$@"
   

   or (to prevent error: ./sqldeveloper: Permission denied)

   #!/bin/bash
   unset -v GNOME_DESKTOP_SESSION_ID
   cd /opt/sqldeveloper/sqldeveloper/bin && bash sqldeveloper $*
   

7. Run SQL Developer:

   sqldeveloper
   

   Note: When you run Sql Developer at the first time, you need to specify the path of JDK's folder. In my computer, JDK stored at /usr/lib/jvm/java-1.7.0-openjdk-amd64 For Java 8 and Ubuntu 16+ /usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle

8. Finally, create desktop application for easy to use:

   cd /usr/share/applications/
   sudo vim sqldeveloper.desktop
   

   add this lines:

   [Desktop Entry]
   Exec=sqldeveloper
   Terminal=false
   StartupNotify=true
   Categories=GNOME;Oracle;
   Type=Application
   Icon=/opt/sqldeveloper/icon.png
   Name=Oracle SQL Developer
   

   then type:

   sudo update-desktop-database
   

The easiest way to install the Oracle SQL Developer program in all currently supported versions of Ubuntu is to install sqldeveloper-package from the default Ubuntu repositories. sqldeveloper-package makes it possible to build a Debian package of Oracle SQL Developer. This utility will require you to download the architecture independent archive from https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-tools/sql-developer, identified as "Oracle SQL Developer for other platforms", "Oracle SQL Developer for Multiple Platforms" or "Oracle SQL Developer for Linux and Unix" (depending on which version you are building), to create the Debian package from.

To install sqldeveloper-package open the terminal and type:

sudo apt install sqldeveloper-package 

After installing, you can use it to build sqldeveloper by typing:

make-sqldeveloper-package /path/to/arch-ind-sqldeveloper-archive

This puts the build package in an autogenerated folder. Use

sudo make-sqldeveloper-package --install /path/to/arch-ind-sqldeveloper-archive

to directly install it on your system. You can get an overview of all commandline options with:

make-sqldeveloper-package --help

For running sqldeveloper you can connect to and use any JDK 1.8 (e.g. openjdk-8-jdk) or above.