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 the last Java version 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.
Note that I didn’t include all the new features and API additions, only those that are useful for most developers, to keep the list brief.
Below you can find tables for:
- New Java language features – additions to the Java language or APIs
- New tools and features in OpenJDK – additions outside of the language, such as command line tools or JVM improvements
- Deprecated/removed features and APIs
New Java language features since Java 8
Feature | Since | Preview since |
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 | |
Pattern Matching for switch switch (o) { | 17 | |
Vector API – express computations that compile to optimal hardware instructions | 16 | |
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 |
16 | 14 | |
15 | 13 | |
New String methods ( formatted, stripIndent, translateEscapes) | 15 | |
Switch expressions: boolean isWeekend = switch (day) { case SATURDAY, SUNDAY -> true;default -> false;}; | 14 | 12 |
12 | ||
12 | ||
11 | ||
11 | ||
11 | ||
TLS v1.3 – support for a new SSL/TLS protocol version | 11 | |
10 | ||
9 | ||
9 | ||
9 | ||
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 |
New JDK tools and features since OpenJDK 8
Tool / feature | Since | Experimental since |
Foreign Function & Memory API (an alternative to JNI) | 17 | |
14 | ||
11 | ||
Experimental Java-Based JIT Compiler (Graal VM) | 10 | |
15 | 12 | |
15 | 11 | |
14 | ||
11 | ||
Flight recorder (data collection framework for troubleshooting) | 11 | |
10, 8u191 | ||
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 |
17 | ||
17 | ||
Constructors of primitive wrapper classes (e.g. new Integer(1)) | 16 | |
15 | 17 | |
14 | ||
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 | |
11 | ||
9 | 11 | |
10 | ||
9 | ||
9 | ||
8 | 9 | |
Applet API (Deprecate the Applet API for Removal in Java 17) | 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.
Thank you so much for this post!
This doesn’t include the `formatted` method in strings introduced in Java 15
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.
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)
Sure, that’s why I added it 🙂 Thanks again!
No problem 🙂