Java version history

The Java language has undergone several changes since JDK 1.0 as well as numerous additions of classes and packages to the standard library. Since J2SE 1.4, the evolution of the Java language has been governed by the Java Community Process (JCP), which uses "Java Specification Requests" (JSRs) to propose and specify additions and changes to the Java platform. The language is specified by the "Java Language Specification" (JLS); changes to the JLS are managed under [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=901 JSR 901] .

In addition to the language changes, much more dramatic changes have been made to the Java class library over the years, which has grown from a few hundred classes in JDK 1.0 to over three thousand in J2SE 5.0. Entire new APIs, such as Swing and Java2D, have been introduced, and many of the original JDK 1.0 classes and methods have been deprecated.

JDK 1.0 (January 23, 1996) (Unsupported)

Initial release [http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/1996-01/sunflash.960123.10561.html Version 1.0 press release] , Sun.]

JDK 1.1 (February 19, 1997) (Unsupported)

Major additions included: [http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/1997-02/sunflash.970219.0001.html Version 1.1 press release] , Sun.]
* an extensive retooling of the AWT event model
* inner classes added to the language
* JavaBeans
* JDBC
* RMI

J2SE 1.2 (December 8, 1998) (Unsupported)

Codename Playground.This and subsequent releases through J2SE 5.0 were rebranded retrospectively Java 2 and the version name "J2SE" (Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition) replaced JDK to distinguish the base platform from J2EE (Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition) and J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition). Major additions included: [http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/1998-12/sunflash.981208.9.html Version 1.2 press release] , Sun.]
* strictfp keyword
* reflection which supports Introspection only, no modification at runtime possible.
* the Swing graphical API was integrated into the core classes
* Sun's JVM was equipped with a JIT compiler for the first time
* Java Plug-in
* Java IDL, an IDL implementation for CORBA interoperability
* Collections framework

J2SE 1.3 (May 8, 2000) (Unsupported)

Codename Kestrel.The most notable changes were: [http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/2000-05/sunflash.20000508.3.html Version 1.3 press release] , Sun.] [http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/docs/relnotes/features.html Version 1.3 full list of changes] , Sun.]
* HotSpot JVM included (the HotSpot JVM was first released in April, 1999 for the J2SE 1.2 JVM)
* RMI was modified to support optional compatibility with CORBA
* JavaSound
* Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) included in core libraries (previously available as an extension)
* Java Platform Debugger Architecture (JPDA)

= J2SE 1.4 (February 6, 2002) (EOL) =

Codename Merlin.This was the first release of the Java platform developed under the Java Community Process as [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=59 JSR 59] . Major changes included: [http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/2002-02/sunflash.20020206.5.html Version 1.4 press release] .] [http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/relnotes/features.html Version full 1.4 list of changes] .]
* assert keyword (Specified in [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=41 JSR 41] .)
* regular expressions modeled after Perl regular expressions
* exception chaining allows an exception to encapsulate original lower-level exception
* Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) support
* non-blocking NIO (New Input/Output) (Specified in [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=51 JSR 51] .)
* logging API (Specified in [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=47 JSR 47] .)
* image I/O API for reading and writing images in formats like JPEG and PNG
* integrated XML parser and XSLT processor (JAXP) (Specified in [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=5 JSR 5] and [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=63 JSR 63] .)
* integrated security and cryptography extensions (JCE, JSSE, JAAS)
* Java Web Start included (Java Web Start was first released in March, 2001 for J2SE 1.3) (Specified in [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=56 JSR 56] .)

= J2SE 5.0 (September 30, 2004) (EOL)=

Codename Tiger.(Originally numbered 1.5, which is still used as the internal version number. [http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/relnotes/version-5.0.html Version 5 release notes] , Sun.] ) Developed under [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=176 JSR 176] , Tiger added a number of significant new language features: [http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/2004-09/sunflash.20040930.1.html Version 1.5 press release] .] [http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5/docs/relnotes/features.html Version 1.5 full list of changes] .]
* Generics: Provides compile-time (static) type safety for collections and eliminates the need for most typecasts (type conversion). (Specified by [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=14 JSR 14] .)
* Metadata: Also called annotations; allows language constructs such as classes and methods to be tagged with additional data, which can then be processed by metadata-aware utilities. (Specified by [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=175 JSR 175] .)
* Autoboxing/unboxing: Automatic conversions between primitive types (such as int) and primitive wrapper classes (such as Javadoc:SE|java/lang|Integer). (Specified by [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=201 JSR 201] .)
* Enumerations: The enum keyword creates a typesafe, ordered list of values (such as Day.MONDAY, Day.TUESDAY, etc.). Previously this could only be achieved by non-typesafe constant integers or manually constructed classes (typesafe enum pattern). (Specified by [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=201 JSR 201] .)
* Swing: New skinnable look and feel, called synth.
* Varargs: The last parameter of a method can now be declared using a type name followed by three dots (e.g. void drawtext(String... lines)). In the calling code any number of parameters of that type can be used and they are then placed in an array to be passed to the method, or alternatively the calling code can pass an array of that type.
* Enhanced 'for loop': The for loop syntax is extended with special syntax for iterating over each member of either an array or any Javadoc:SE|java/lang|Iterable, such as the standard Javadoc:SE|java/util|Collection classes, using a construct of the form:

* Fix the previously broken semantics of the Java Memory Model, which defines how threads interact through memory.
* Automatic stub generation for RMI objects.
* static imports

Java SE 6 (December 11, 2006) (Supported)

Codename Mustang.As of this version, Sun replaced the name "J2SE" with Java SE and dropped the ".0" from the version number. [http://www.java.com/en/about/brand/naming.jsp Java brand naming] .] Internal numbering for developers remains 1.6.0. [http://java.sun.com/javase/6/webnotes/version-6.html Version 6] , Java webnotes, Sun.] This version was developed under [http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=270 JSR 270] .

During the development phase, new builds including enhancements and bug fixes were released approximately weekly. Beta versions were released in February and June 2006, leading up to a final release that occurred on December 11, 2006. The current revision is Update 7 which was released in mid-2008.

Major changes included in this version: [http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/2006-12/sunflash.20061211.1.xml Version 1.6 press release] .] [http://java.sun.com/javase/6/features.jsp Version 1.6 full list of changes] .]
* Support for older Win9x versions dropped. The last version for Windows 98 and Windows ME is Java Runtime Environment Version 5.0 Update 16 (1.5.0.16). [http://www.java.com/en/download/windows98me_manual.jsp]
* Scripting Language Support (JSR 223): Generic API for tight integration with scripting languages, and built-in Mozilla Javascript Rhino integration
* Dramatic performance improvements for the core platform [http://www.javalobby.org/java/forums/t66270.html Java Lobby] .] [http://weblogs.java.net/blog/opinali/archive/2005/11/mustangs_hotspo.html Mustang’s HotSpot] , Sun weblogs.] , and Swing.
* Improved Web Service support through JAX-WS (JSR 224)
* JDBC 4.0 support (JSR 221).
* Java Compiler API (JSR 199): an API allowing a Java program to select and invoke a Java Compiler programmatically.
* Upgrade of JAXB to version 2.0: Including integration of a StAX parser.
* Support for pluggable annotations (JSR 269).
* Many GUI improvements, such as integration of SwingWorker in the API, table sorting and filtering, and true Swing double-buffering (eliminating the gray-area effect).

Java SE 6 Update 10

Java SE 6 Update 10 (previously known as Java SE 6 Update N), while it does not change any public API, is meant as a major enhancement in terms of end-user usability.A release candidate is currently available for download. [http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/ea/6u10/6u10beta.jsp Java SE 6 Update 10 Overview] ]

Major changes for this update include: [http://java.sun.com/developer/technicalArticles/javase/java6u10/index.html Introducing Java SE 6 Update 10 Beta] ]
* Java Deployment Toolkit, a set of JavaScript functions to ease the deployment of applets and Java Web Start applications. [ [http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/ea/6u10/deploymentToolkit.jsp Java Deployment Toolkit] ]
* Java Kernel, a small installer including only the most commonly used JRE classes. Other packages are downloaded when needed.
* Enhanced updater.
* Enhanced versioning and pack200 support: server-side support is no longer required. [ [http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/ea/6u10/newJavaSystemProperties.jsp Version Download and Pack200 Support] ]
* Java Quick Starter, to improve cold start-up time.
* Improved performance of Java2D graphics primitives on Windows, using Direct3D and hardware acceleration.
* A new Swing look and feel called Nimbus and based on synth. [ [http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/ea/6u10/nimbus.jsp Nimbus] ]
* Next-Generation Java Plug-In: applets now run in a separate process and support many features of Web Start applications. [http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/ea/6u10/plugin2/index.jsp Release Notes for the Next-Generation Java™ Plug-In Technology] ]

Java SE 7

Codename Dolphin. [https://jdk7.dev.java.net/ JDK7] , Sun.] This is in the early planning and development stages [cite web
url=http://today.java.net/pub/a/today/2007/08/09/looking-ahead-to-java-7.html
title=The Open Road: Looking Ahead to Java 7
last=Flanagan|first=David
date=2007-09-08
accessdate=2008-03-09] . The Dolphin Project began in August 2006 and is tentatively scheduled for release in 2009. New builds including enhancements and bug fixes are released approximately weekly.

New features that may be integrated in Java 7 [cite web
url=http://tech.puredanger.com/java7
title=Java 7
last=Miller|first=Alex
accessdate=2008-05-30] comprise:
* JVM support for dynamic languages, following the prototyping work currently done on the Multi Language Virtual Machine,
* A new library for parallel computing on Multi-core processors [cite web
url=http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/library/j-jtp03048.html?ca
title=Java theory and practice: Stick a fork in it, Part 2
last=Goetz|first=Brian
date=2008-03-04
accessdate=2008-03-09] ,
* Superpackages (JSR 294), which are a way to define explicitly in a library or module which classes will be visible from outside of the library [cite web
url=http://today.java.net/pub/a/today/2008/03/06/jsr-294-superpackages.html
title=The Open Road: Superpackages
last=Rusty Harold|first=Elliotte
date=2008-03-06
accessdate=2008-03-09] ,
* Swing Application Framework, an infrastructure common to most desktop applications, making Swing applications easier to create.

Also, there is an ongoing debate in the Java community on whether it would be appropriate to add built-in support for closures, a feature available in a number of other languages. [cite web
url=http://gafter.blogspot.com/2006/08/closures-for-java.html
title=Closures for Java
last=Gafter|first=Neal
date=2006-08-18
accessdate=2008-03-09] [cite web
url=http://blogs.sun.com/jag/entry/closures
title=Closures
last=Gosling|first=James
date=2008-01-31
accessdate=2008-03-09] .

ee also

* Java platform
* Java (Sun)
* Java (programming language)
* Java Community Process

References

External links

* [http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/docs/relnotes/features.html full list of changes for J2SE 1.3]
* [http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/relnotes/features.html full list of changes for J2SE 1.4]
* [http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5/docs/relnotes/features.html full list of changes for J2SE 5.0]
* [http://java.sun.com/javase/6/features.jsp full list of changes for Java SE 6]
* [https://jdk6.dev.java.net/ Mustang development site for Java SE 6]
* [https://jdk7.dev.java.net/ Dolphin development site for Java SE 7]
* [http://java.sun.com/products/archive/eol.policy.html SUN Java Supported versions and EOL]