Here are some of the notable features introduced in recent versions of Java, from Java 8 to Java 17:
Java 17 (September 2021):
Sealed Classes: Sealed classes allow developers to control the inheritance hierarchy of classes by specifying which classes or interfaces can extend or implement them.
Pattern Matching for Switch: Pattern matching for switch statements was enhanced to support pattern matching in case labels, making code more concise and readable.
Strong Encapsulation of JDK Internals: Efforts were made to further enhance the encapsulation of JDK internals. Several internal APIs were marked as deprecated for removal, encouraging developers to migrate to supported alternatives.
Foreign Function & Memory API (Incubator): The Foreign Function & Memory API (FFI) was introduced as an incubator module, enabling interoperability with native code by accessing memory and invoking native functions.
Java 15 (September 2020):
Sealed Classes (Preview): Sealed classes were introduced as a preview feature in Java 15, allowing developers to control the inheritance hierarchy of classes.
Text Blocks: Text Blocks provide a more concise way to write multi-line strings in Java, eliminating the need for concatenation or escape characters.
Hidden Classes: Hidden Classes provide a way to create classes that are not discoverable via reflection, improving security and performance in certain scenarios.
Java 14 (March 2020):
Records (Preview): Records were introduced as a preview feature, providing a concise way to declare classes that are mainly used to store data.
Pattern Matching for instanceof: Pattern matching was extended to the instanceof operator, allowing you to directly access the casted object if the match is successful.
Switch Expressions Enhancements: Switch expressions were enhanced with additional features, including the ability to use yield statements to return values from switch branches.
Java 11 (September 2018):
Local-Variable Syntax for Lambda Parameters: Java 11 introduced the ability to use the var keyword in lambda expressions, allowing you to declare lambda parameters with inferred types.
HTTP Client (Standard): A new HTTP client API was introduced as a replacement for the old HttpURLConnection API. The new API provides a more flexible and efficient way to send HTTP requests and handle responses.
Launch Single-File Source-Code Programs: Java 11 added the ability to directly execute single-file Java source code programs without explicitly compiling them.
These are just a few highlights from recent versions of Java. Each release typically includes several other improvements, bug fixes, and enhancements. To get the most up-to-date information on the latest features of Java, I recommend referring to the official Java documentation or the Oracle website.
Java 10 (March 2018):
Local-Variable Type Inference (var): Java 10 introduced local-variable type inference, allowing the var keyword to be used when declaring local variables. The type of the variable is inferred from the initializer expression.
Garbage-Collector Interface: Java 10 introduced a new Garbage-Collector Interface that provides a standardized way to interact with and manage garbage collectors.
Application Class-Data Sharing: The Application Class-Data Sharing (AppCDS) feature was introduced in Java 10. It allows multiple Java processes to share the same archived class data, reducing startup time and memory footprint.
Time-Based Release Versioning: Starting with Java 10, the versioning scheme of Java was changed to a time-based release versioning model. This means that Java versions are released every six months, allowing for more frequent updates and feature releases.
These are just a few highlights from Java 9 and Java 10. Each release included various other improvements, bug fixes, and enhancements. It's important to note that newer versions of Java have been released since then, so there may be additional features and improvements available in the latest versions. For the most up-to-date information, I recommend referring to the official Java documentation or the Oracle website.
Java 9 (September 2017):
Modular System (Project Jigsaw): Java 9 introduced the Java Platform Module System (JPMS), also known as Project Jigsaw. It allows developers to create modular applications by encapsulating code into modules, enabling better encapsulation, strong encapsulation of JDK internals, and improved performance.
JShell: JShell is an interactive Read-Eval-Print Loop (REPL) tool that allows you to execute Java code snippets and get immediate results without the need to compile and run a full program.
Interface Private Methods: Java 9 introduced the ability to declare private methods in interfaces. Private methods enable code reuse within interfaces without exposing them as part of the public API.
Stream API Enhancements: The Stream API in Java 9 received several enhancements, including new methods like dropWhile, takeWhile, ofNullable, and iterate.
Java 8 (March 2018):
Java 8 was released in March 2014 and introduced several significant features and improvements to the Java programming language. Here are some of the key features introduced in Java 8:
Lambda Expressions: Java 8 introduced lambda expressions, which are anonymous functions that enable you to write more concise and functional-style code. Lambda expressions simplify the use of functional interfaces and enable the implementation of functional programming techniques.
Functional Interfaces: Java 8 introduced the java.util.function package, which includes a set of functional interfaces such as Predicate, Function, Consumer, and Supplier. These interfaces provide common functional operations and can be used with lambda expressions.
Streams: The Stream API is a new abstraction introduced in Java 8 that allows you to process collections of objects in a functional-style manner. It provides a fluent and declarative way to perform operations such as filtering, mapping, reducing, and sorting on data sets.
Default Methods: Java 8 introduced the concept of default methods in interfaces. Default methods allow interfaces to have method implementations, providing backward compatibility when adding new methods to existing interfaces.
Optional: The Optional class was introduced to provide a standardized way to handle potentially null values. It encourages developers to explicitly handle null cases and reduces the possibility of null pointer exceptions.
Date and Time API: Java 8 introduced a new Date and Time API that provides a more comprehensive and flexible approach to working with dates and times. The new API is based on the JSR 310 specification and includes classes such as LocalDate, LocalTime, LocalDateTime, Period, and Duration.
Nashorn JavaScript Engine: Java 8 included the Nashorn JavaScript engine, which allows you to execute JavaScript code within Java applications. It provides interoperability between Java and JavaScript and can be used for embedding scripting capabilities in Java applications.
Parallel and Asynchronous Programming: Java 8 introduced the CompletableFuture class, which provides a flexible way to perform asynchronous and concurrent programming. It allows you to easily compose and combine asynchronous tasks, making it easier to write concurrent code.