Java 9 Features and Release Date

John D K -

Java 9 Release Date

Java 9 is released since September 2017! Java 9 has finally been released after announced delay due to: "additional time required to move through the JCP process".

Java 9 can be downloaded here: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html

Many developers are experimenting with it and its modularisation features. Version 9 is the first one which is targeting the problem with modularisation. In previos versions OSGI and other thechniques were used. Finally Project Jigsaw intended for Java 8 is out as a module system to the SDK with the latest version.

Java 9 Features

We've been waiting a lot of new features in java since years. Many problems and issues are indirectly addressed by the new features that are introduced in java 9.
There are a lot of new features like:

  • Modularity - Probably the biggest, high desired and long waiting feature. A module can be considered as code collection - holds classes, data
    and other modules in the form of dependencies. Modules bring more security with them and it's well organised structure. A modular applications enable easier deployment, testing and scalability.
  • Developer Convenience
    * JShell: the interactive Java REPL or jshell which makes testing few lines of code really easy and without need of classes or methods
  • Strings - new concept for compact strings brings faster and optimised use of strings
  • Compiler improvements for Java 9 code
  • New default garbage collector
  • Stream API improvements
  • Diagnostics
  • JavaScript/HTTP - Project Nashorn - better JavaScript backing in Java 9; new HTTP/2 client API, Improved HTML5
  • Native Platform
  • Images
  • Unicode
  • Private default methods - Default Methods
  • jlink: The Java Linker - The Java Linker

You can find all the information in the official oracle docs:

[Java Platform, Standard Edition What’s New in Oracle JDK 9](Overview of What’s New in JDK 9)