Scalable Human Blog

Java, a class-based, object-oriented programming language, has been a cornerstone of enterprise applications for decades. With each new version, Java introduces enhancements, new features, and performance optimizations to meet the evolving demands of modern software development. In this blog post, we’ll look at the major new features introduced in each Java version from Java 8 onwards.

Java 8 (March 2014)

Java 8 was a game-changer in the world of Java programming. It brought some substantial improvements and new features:

1. Lambda Expressions: These made functional programming a reality in Java, allowing for more expressive and compact code.
2. Stream API: This provided a new abstraction for working with sequences of data in a functional programming style.
3. Default Methods: These allowed developers to add new methods to interfaces without breaking existing implementations.
4. Optional: This was a new container type that could help handle null more gracefully.

Java 9 (September 2017)

Java 9 focused more on improving modularity and performance:

1. Project Jigsaw (Java Platform Module System): This feature introduced modularity to the Java platform, enabling reliable configuration and strong encapsulation.
2. JShell: This interactive shell allowed developers to execute arbitrary Java code snippets in real-time.
3. Stream API Enhancements: These provided additional functionality for working with streams.

Java 10 (March 2018)

This version was primarily about improving the developer experience:

1. Local-Variable Type Inference: The var keyword was introduced, which allows developers to declare local variables without specifying their type.
2. Application Class-Data Sharing: This feature improved the startup time of Java applications and reduced the footprint.

Java 11 (September 2018)

Java 11, the current long-term support (LTS) release, brought several key enhancements:

1. HTTP/2 Client: This feature provided a new API for HTTP/2, supporting modern web standards.
2. String Methods: New methods for handling strings were added, like isBlank(), strip(), repeat(), and lines().
3. Launch Single-File Source-Code Programs: This feature allowed developers to run a Java program directly from a single .java file.

Java 12 (March 2019)

Java 12 offered improved performance and new language features:

1. Switch Expressions (Preview): This feature simplified writing switch statements.
2. JVM Constants API: This new API allowed low-level interaction with the JVM.

Java 13 (September 2019)

Java 13 continued the incremental improvements:

1. Switch Expressions (Second Preview): This version saw further refinements to switch expressions.
2. Text Blocks (Preview): Text blocks simplified the task of writing multiline strings.

Java 14 (March 2020)

Java 14 packed several new features:

1. Records (Preview): Records provided a compact syntax for declaring data-only classes.
2. Pattern Matching for instanceof (Preview): This feature simplified the common coding pattern of conditional extraction of components from objects.
3. Switch Expressions Become Standard: The switch expressions were finalized and added as a standard feature.

Java 15 (September 2020)

Java 15 introduced more refinements:

1. Text Blocks Become Standard: Text blocks were finalized and added as a standard feature.
2. Sealed Classes (Preview): Sealed classes restricted which other classes or interfaces may extend or implement them.

Java 16 (March 2021)

Java 16 continued to enhance the language:

1. Records Become Standard: Records were finalized and added as a standard feature.
2. Pattern Matching for instanceof Becomes Standard: The pattern matching for instanceof was finalized and added as a standard feature.

Note: This list of Java updates concludes with the latest version at the time of writing in 2021. Be sure to check the latest Oracle documentation for updates and improvements on new versions.

Conclusion

The consistent evolution of Java continues to meet the ever-changing landscape of software development, making it a versatile choice for developers. Each new version brings unique features and improvements, ensuring that Java remains a relevant, efficient, and powerful language in the world of programming.

📚 Further Reading & Related Topics

If you’re exploring the evolution of Java and new features from Java 8 onwards, these related articles will provide deeper insights:

• Java 16 and the Standardization of Records: Simplifying Data Classes – Learn how Java records, introduced in Java 16, simplify data handling and complement other features that evolved after Java 8.

• Mastering Null Handling in Java: Best Practices – Explore how Java’s null handling and optional features have evolved over time to make the language more robust.