New features between Java 8 and Java 19

Java Duke surfing

Since version 9, Java has new features every 6 months and it’s very hard to keep track of these new changes. Most of the information on the internet describes changes between the last 2 Java versions. However, if you’re in a similar situation as me, you’re not using one of the latest Java versions but a version several releases older.

Then it’s useful to know which new features were added since the version you use now, or between the versions that you use now and the one you want to start using next. Therefore I’ve compiled a table with all new features added since Java 8 for each new Java version and I keep it updated for every newer Java version.

Below you can find tables for:

Note that I didn’t include all the new features and API additions, only those that are useful for a wide range of developers, to keep the list brief.

This article isn’t about choosing the right Java version for you to use. But I’ll at least summarize all the Java versions since Java 8 and for your convenience:

  • Java 8 – LTS release (Long Term Support), last LTS release before JPMS (modules) were introduced in Java 9
  • Java 11 – LTS release
  • Java 17 – LTS release, the latest LTS release until September 2023
  • Java 19 – non-LTS release, the latest version released in September 2022
  • all other Java versions – non-LTS releases

In most cases, you should only use LTS releases in production. That is unless you have specific needs to use the greatest and latest and are willing to upgrade to a new Java version every 6 months. To find out more about Java LTS releases, you can read The art of long-term support and what LTS means for the Java ecosystem by Oracle.

Java language features and APIs

Feature/API
Since
Preview since
Simple Web Server (a.k.a com.sun.net.httpserver.SimpleFileServer)
SimpleFileServer.createFileServer(new InetSocketAddress(9000), path, logLevel).start();

Cmd Line: jwebserver -p 9000
18
Code Snippets in Java API Documentation
{@snippet : lines of code}
instead of <pre>{@code lines of code }</pre>
18
UTF-8 by Default – instead of the charset defined by the system.
Run javac -encoding UTF-8 with JDK 8-17 to check for Java source encoding issues.
18
Context-Specific Deserialization Filters – allow applications to configure deserialization filters, either specify a pattern via a system property, or a filter factory via a system property or via ObjectInputFilter.Config
17
Sealed classes (inheritance only for allowed classes):
public abstract sealed class Shape permits Circle, Rectangle, Square {...}
17
15
Record type – data classes with implicit getters, constructor, equals, hashCode and toString methods:
record Point(int x, int y) { }
16
14
Static members in inner classes (part of Record type JEP)
new Object() {
static record MyData(String data) {};
public static final int CONSTANT = 1;
};
16
16
Pattern Matching for instanceof:
if (x instanceOf String s) { String a = s; }
16
14
Text blocks:
String query = """
SELECT "EMP_ID", "LAST_NAME"
FROM "EMPLOYEE_TB";
"""
15
13
New String methods (formatted, stripIndent, translateEscapes)
15
Switch expressions:
boolean isWeekend = switch (day) {
case SATURDAY, SUNDAY -> true;
default -> false;
};
14
12
New String methods (indent, transform)
12
12
New String methods (repeat, isBlank, strip, lines)
11
var type allowed in Lambda Parameters:
(@NonNull var x) -> process(x)
11
11
TLS v1.3 – support for a new SSL/TLS protocol version
11
var type allowed for local variables:
var length = str.length();
10
9
9
Collection factory methods:
List.of(a, b, c); Set.of(d, e, f, g); Map.of(k1, v1, k2, v2);
9
Stream API improvements (takeWhile, dropWhile, ofNullable, iterate with condition)
9
9
9
this.getClass().getPackageName()
9
Process API updates (detailed info about processes, e.g. ID, onExit, destroy)
9
9
9
9
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8

Java language features or APIs in preview/incubation

Feature/API
Since
Preview since
Virtual threads
Thread.startVirtualThread(runnable);
Thread.ofVirtual().name("duke").unstarted(runnable);
Executors.newVirtualThreadPerTaskExecutor();
Executors.newThreadPerTaskExecutor(threadFactory);
19
Record patterns
record Point(int x, int y) {}

if (o instanceof Point(int x, int y)) {
System.out.println( x + y );
}
19
Structured concurrency
try (var scope = new ShutdownOnFailure()) {
Future<String> user = scope.fork(() -> findUser());
Future<Integer> order = scope.fork(() -> fetchOrder());
}
//both threads are terminated here, outside of try block
19
Pattern Matching for switch – like instanceof for switch; switch is an expression and can be assigned
String result = switch (o) {
case null -> null;

case 0 -> throw new RuntimeException("Cannot be 0"); // Special cases
case Integer i when i > 0 -> "Positive number";
case Integer i -> "Negative number"; // 0 and positive numbers handled by above rules
case String s -> s;
case Point p -> p.toString();
case int[] ia -> "Array length" + ia.length;
default -> "Something else";
}
17
Foreign Function & Memory API (an alternative to JNI)
16
Vector API – express computations that compile to optimal hardware instructions
16

New JDK tools and features since OpenJDK 8

Tool / feature
Since
Experimental since
14
11
10
15
12
15
11
14
11
Flight recorder (data collection framework for troubleshooting)
11
Docker Container Support:
-XX:-UseContainerSupport
10,
8u191
Flexible heap size selection:
-XX:MaxRAMPercentage
10,
8u191
10
jlink – custom JRE image, subset of JRE
9
JShell (Java REPL) – run Java commands interactively
9
9
9

Deprecated/removed features and APIs:

Feature / API
Deprecated since
Removed since
Deprecate Finalization for Removal (finalize() and similar methods)
18
17
16
14
9
15
17
Strongly Encapsulate JDK Internals (except sun.misc.Unsafe and some more)
– internal JDK classes won’t be available anymore
9
17
11
15
14
15
CMS GC
9
14
11
14
Java FX (moved to OpenJFX)
11
Java Web Start (was only in Oracle JDK)
9
11
Java EE and CORBA modules (JAX-WS, JAXB, JAF, Common Annotations, CORBA, JTA)
Look here to find replacements for the removed modules
9
11
10
9
9
9
8
9
8
9

For more details, the javaalmanac.io/ catalog is very useful to browse the changes in Java thoughout all its history. It can give you complete diff of APIs between selected Java versions, e.g. between Java 8 and Java 11. Very useful If you’re thinking about migrating to a specific Java version.

Dávid Csákvári also wrote a similar article as mine for new features between Java 8 and Java 17, which is more detailed and with a lot of useful examples.

If you want to get started with Java 17 quickly and try out all the new features, here’s a nice article to follow to get you started fast: Java 17 New Features Tutorial.

13 thoughts on “New features between Java 8 and Java 19

    1. Thank you for the hint, Mateo. I’ve added info about String.formatted and the other 2 methods added in Java 15. Although just brief into, I want this article to highlight the major changes so that people know what might be interesting to look at and start using when they upgrade.

  1. Alright, cool! Yeah it’s just I think that formatted is a rather significant change; it’s changed how I inject variables into strings (it’s more syntactically nice this way imo)

  2. Hi Ondro,

    I just read, that since JEP 395, inner classes do now allow for static members which was previously a compile time error. Since nested classes are an important feature, I think it might be worth enlisting this change here.

    BTW: Thank you so much, for this great aggregation of changes! I wonder why a big company like Oracle, who actually owns the language!, has not done it.

    1. Great suggestion, Mathias, thanks! I’ve added it to the list. I didn’t realize it as it was hidden in the Records JEP but doesn’t apply only to records.

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