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I need to test a web application with JRE 6. I am using a Mac with OS X 10.10 and Java 7 for development. How can I install JRE 6 next to Java 7 on this Mac?
This previous answer does not yet account for the fact (also mentioned in a comment) that Apple's download link by now points to a .pkg (Java for OS X 2014-001) file. Without further knowledge I hasten to install it, for it may overwrite my current Java 7 setup (and may no longer contain JRE 6 in the first place).
JavaForOSX2014-001.dmg contains Java for Mac OS X (1.6.0_65-b14-462). It will be installed to /System/Library/Java and /System/Library/Frameworks while Oracle Java is located at /Library/Java. No file will be overwritten.
To avoid any trouble (especially with your $JAVA_HOME/$PATH) consider setting up a Mac OS X VM in VMWare, Parallels or VirtualBox with JRE6 only.
As noted by @klanomath "No file will be overwritten": You can have multiple JDK's installed but only one JRE. But each JDK also comes with a JRE.
Apple's Java integration with OS X provides /usr/libexec/java_home that can help you keep the JDK situation straight. That selects among the JDK's and their associated JRE found in /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines. See the man java_home page.
However there is no equivalent capability to select among versions of the JRE accessed via /Library/Internet Plug-ins/ http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202643 provides the only 'official' way to select among those, which requires terminal savvy with sudo and symbolic links. Since you are a developer testing web apps one assumes that will suffice, but not something mere mortals want to mess around with.
