Which and how many versions of Java are there to date? 2022 list

Without a doubt, Java stands out for being one of the most famous programming languages ​​today and it is even the main language in which a large number of programmers around the world have developed their professional career. Taking into account that, he already has more than 20 years between us.

It should be noted that this authentic modern language was conceived around the idea of ​​​​working on any computer. which, it is about a project developed by the team of James Goslinga renowned computer scientist who is the father of this programming language.

Given the remarkable importance that Java has had since its birth, it is necessary to know what are the particularities that distinguished this language from the rest since its inception and even, also know which versions of it exist to this day. Therefore, we will detail all this throughout the post.

What salient features distinguished Java from other programming languages ​​when it came out?

In view of the great fame that this computer language has, you are surely wondering what are the qualities that it exhibits in comparison with the rest of the programming languages what’s upso that so many programmers decide to develop in this world of technology from it.

In such a way that, next, we let you know the most important particularities that the Java language shows since its inception:

• It is a computer language with much more power than JavaScript and all the other existing ones, thanks to the fact that it has a general purpose and in fact, more varied applications can be made.
• It is completely object oriented. Which means that both the data and the functions that work with it are organized in structures called “lessons”. Therefore, it will be necessary create classes to program with Java.
• Unlike some other computing languages, Java requires a development kit and a compiler.
• It has strong structures, that is, It is a strongly typed language.. Therefore, when declaring a variable in it, it will be mandatory to indicate its type and thus, it will not be able to change from one type to another automatically.
• In Java, primitive data types have identical sizes and behaviors on any platform. Be it Windows, Solaris, Unis, etc.).
• Regarding memory management in Java, it should be noted that it is automatic. Which means that this automatically assigned when an object is created and, in that sense, a “garbage collector” is responsible for releasing it when there is no reference to the object in question.
• It is considered the most robust and safelike the most neutral, dynamic and simple regarding JavaScript, C++, and SmallTalk, for example.

Timeline of all Java versions that have been developed so far

Now, it is time to detail the versions of Java that exist so far, in order to specify how many are there and what are theyknowing also its most interesting characteristics.

In this way, we start the list chronologically, below:

Java version 1.0

Release date: January 23, 1996

As its identification allows us to deduce, it is the first version of the Java computer language. Which, was announced by the scientific director of Sun Microsystems, John Gage and the vice president of Netscape, Marc Andreessen. Taking into account that, this last character also reported that Java series supported in Netscape browsers.

Main features:

• It contains the main classes, the virtual machine and the graphical API of AWT.
• It was a great innovation for the world of technologysince from it, the experts provided a platform-independent language and a lightweight and free execution environment for the most famous platforms.
• Thanks to this version, the main web browsers added, shortly after, the possibility of running Java applets that were embedded in websites.

Java version 1.1

Release Date: February 19, 1997

A year later, the second version of this programming language emerged. Which included substantial improvements and took an important leap with respect to the use of the language worldwide.

Main features:

• It was based on incorporating several missing classes, such as: Readers/Writers, Calendars and Bundles.
• The biggest contribution in version 1.1, without a doubt, was the fact that add the JavaBeans standard and the JDBC (Java Database Connectivity) API for the database connection. Which is estimated as a fact of relevance in computing.
• also shows an intensive restructuring of the AWT (Abstract Windowing Toolkit) event model.
• Includes internal classes or “inner classes”.

Java version 1.2

Release date: December 08, 1998

With another very important evolution, this new version of the programming language appears, which is collected under the name “Java 2” and the name “J2SE”. Taking into account that, from here, the following versions treasured said denomination.

Main features:

• Showcased the arrival of collection framework and the Swing API. Which allows you to develop much more complex window interfaces.
• Contains Java IDLwhich is an implementation of IDL or “Interface for Description Language” designed for interoperability with CORBA.
• For the first time, Sun’s virtual machine was equipped with a compiler “Just in Time” (JIT).
• Other peculiarities: Java Plug-in, collections or “collections”, the reserved word strictfp, etc.

Java version 1.3

Release date: May 08, 2000

Also recognized as “2SE 1.3”, which brought with it important improvements in the new millennium. Taking into account that, so far, it is already a mature platform.

Main features:

• JNDI support is added or “Java Naming and Directory Interface” in the core library package. Which, previously, was only available as an extension.
• In this version the inclusion of the HotSpot JVM virtual machine with JIT compilation. Which, was released in April 1999 for the J2SE 1.2 JVM.
• Here RMI was changed so that will be based on CORBA.
• Contains JavaSound and Java Platform Debugger Architecture (JPDA).

Java version 1.4

Release date: February 06, 2002

It is distinguished from the other versions, as it is the first release of the Java platform developed under the Java Community process as “JSR 59”. This version is also identified as “J2SE 1.4”.

Main features:

• As for the new APIs, there is a truly relevant jump. since it adds API I/O for reading and writing images in formats such as JPEG or PNG. Like logging api (Specified in JSR 47.).
• Powerful XML and Regular Expression support is also incorporated.
• It has integrated security and cryptographic extensions, such as: JCE, JSSE, JAAS. Plus Java Web Start included.

Java version 1.5

Release date: September 30, 2004

Then, two years later, Java 5 or “J2SE 5.0” was born; version in which two important jumps could be noticed at the level of the Core of the language. In view of the inclusion of “Generic Types” and the concept of metadata with the use of annotations.

Main features:

• Thanks to the use of annotations in this version, it is possible tag classes or methods with additional data. Which, can be processed by metadata processing utilities, later.
• There is evidence of a significant expansion regarding API support that are oriented to concurrent programming.
• The reserved word “enum” create a typesafe; ordered list of values ​​(such as Day.MONDAY, Day.TUESDAY, etc.). Which, previously, could only be done by integer constants or manually constructed classes.
• Sample an improved “for loop”. Since, the syntax has been extended with a special one to iterate over each member of an array or over any class that implements Iterable, like the standard Collection class, for example.

Java version 1.6

Release date: December 11, 2006

This version of 2006 was under development under JSR 270 and it was precisely in this where Sun modified the name “J2SE” that was established from version 1.2 by “Java SE”. As well as the new versions, this one also showed important changes and/or improvements.

Main features:

• Add Mozilla’s Rhino enginewhich is an implementation of the well-known JavaScript programming language in Java.
• It has excellent improvements in your performance and also in the graphical interface.
• It includes a full web services client and also has support for the latest web services specifications. Such as: JAX-WS 2.0, JAXB 2.0, STAX, and JAXP.
• Among its best advantages, it adds a new framework and APIs that allow combine Java with dynamic languages (PHP, Python, Ruby and JavaScript).

Java version 1.7

Launch date: Between 2006 and 2008 it was in the early planning stages. Its official launch was in July 2011

It is also called “Java SE 7” and his code name is Dolphin. Thus, it produces a great optimization of the virtual machine, since it included new garbage collectors. But, his changes around language are really limited.

Main features:

• Have XML support within your own language. As for closures.
• Introduces standard annotation input for detect software bugs.
• Manage a new concept of superpackage.
• It also adds: New API for managing Days and Dateswhich will replace the old Date and Calendar classes, the Java Module System, the Java Kernel, and the ability to operate on BigDecimal classes using operands.

java version 8

Release date: March 2014

Mainly, it is a version that has the Lambda expression support and use of streamswhich guarantees a much more functional style for Java programs.

Main features:

• Completely incorporated the library JavaFX within the Java JDK.
• Includes a noticeable improvement around security, concurrency, and JavaScript integration. The latter, due to the Nashorn Project to have a JavaScript engine.
• Within its scheme to a more functional approach, transformations also appear MapReduce.

java version 9

Release date: September 21, 2017

It is one of the newest versions of this programming language, which is also known as “Java SE 9”. In this sense, it should be noted that, although its planned launch date was July 9 of that same year, this had some delay due to some security issues located within the platform.

Main features:

• The “Jigsaw Project” can be found within this version of Java. What, sets the modularization of the JDK.
• It offers full support for http 2.0.
• It also stands out for having Java Shell; from which, it will be possible to work and interact at the same time in the style “Read–eval–print loop” or RELP.

java version 10

Release date: March 20, 2018

A year after the previous one, the Java SE 10 version was published in order to guarantee prolonged support every year and a half, approximately. In order to offer long-term support or LTS and, with it, companies have security in the applications they develop.

Main features:

• The Graal JIT compiler implemented in Java is added experimentally on Linux platform.
• This version includes several root certificates to the keystore added to allow TLS connections. work by default.
• by establishing added functionality in javac, the javah functionality is removed. So, the latter was improved and replaced by javac directly.

java version 11

Release date: September 25, 2018

Just six months after version 10, a new version of Java came out which is also known as “Java SE 11”. The one that, in that same year, could include several novelties of relevance based on security.

Main features:

• It provides an LTS version in which large companies they will rely on as the basis for all their developments.
• Unicode 10 support with 16018 new supported characters, 128 new emojis and 19 new symbols for the standard on 4K TVs.
• It is evident removal of Java EE and CORBA modules. Since these were deprecated in earlier versions and so, the list of packages includes:
  • xml.ws (JAX-WS, plus the related technologies SAAJ and Web Services Metadata)
  • xml.bind (JAXB)
  • activation (JAF)
  • xml.ws.annotation (Common Annotations)
  • corba (CORBA)
  • transactions (JTA)
  • se.ee (Aggregator module for the six modules above)
  • xml.ws (Tools for JAX-WS)
  • xml.bind (Tools for JAXB).

java version 12

Release date: March 19, 2019

So far, this is the latest version of the renowned computing language and, of course, it reveals certain improvements and benefits to the programmers and developers who use it. Taking into account that, Java SE 12 arrives with new features.

Main features:

• Switch Expressions (JEP 325); which was introduced in the preview phase and extends said statement to be used as an expression. Thus, simplifying the writing of daily code.
• Optimize the garbage collector G1 to automatically return a pool of Java memory to the operating system when it is idle.
• Includes an API to model nominal descriptions of key class files and runtime artifacts. From the constants API in the JVM.
• Improves the JDK build processwhen producing a CDS file using the default class list on 64-bit platforms.