Java has evolved significantly since its launch in 1995, with each version introducing new features, performance enhancements, and modern programming capabilities. From Java 1.0 to the current Long-Term Support (LTS) versions like Java 17 and Java 21, understanding Java’s version history helps developers stay updated and leverage the language effectively.

Java’s journey over the past decades has been marked by steady growth and major innovations. With each version, Java introduces improved syntax, robust APIs, and performance optimizations, ensuring it remains relevant in the modern software development world. Let’s take a deep dive into the evolution of Java through its major versions.

🔹 Java 1.0 (1995): The Beginning

Java 1.0 was the first official release by Sun Microsystems. It introduced the core concepts of the language:

• Platform independence via JVM
• Object-oriented programming
• Applets (small programs embedded in web pages)

Though primitive by today’s standards, Java 1.0 laid the groundwork for future development.

🔹 Java 2 (J2SE 1.2 to 1.4): Rebranding and Maturity

With the release of Java 1.2 in 1998, Java was rebranded as Java 2, and versions were named J2SE (Java 2 Standard Edition). Key improvements included:

• Swing for GUI development
• Collections framework
• JDBC improvements
• Security enhancements

This era helped Java mature into a full-fledged enterprise development platform.

🔹 Java 5 (2004): Major Language Enhancements

Skipping version 1.5 to avoid confusion, Java 5 introduced several modern features:

• Generics
• Enhanced for-each loop
• Autoboxing/unboxing
• Annotations
• Enumerations
• Static imports

These features made Java code cleaner, more readable, and aligned it with modern language trends.

🔹 Java 6 (2006): Performance and Library Upgrades

Java 6 focused more on under-the-hood performance and stability:

• Compiler and JVM enhancements
• Improved Web Services support
• Scripting API (JSR 223)
• JDBC 4.0

It was a long-lasting version widely used in enterprise environments.

🔹 Java 7 (2011): Project Coin and NIO.2

After Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems, Java 7 introduced several enhancements:

• Try-with-resources
• Diamond operator (<>)
• String in switch statements
• Improved exception handling
• NIO.2 for better file I/O

These changes improved productivity and code brevity.

🔹 Java 8 (2014): A Game Changer

Java 8 was one of the most significant updates in Java’s history:

• Lambda expressions
• Stream API
• Functional interfaces
• New Date and Time API (java.time)
• Default and static methods in interfaces

It introduced functional programming to Java and remains widely used even today.

🔹 Java 9 to 10: Rapid Innovation

Java 9 brought the Java Platform Module System (JPMS), also known as Project Jigsaw, improving modularity.

Java 10 introduced:

• Local variable type inference using var

With Java 9, Oracle adopted a six-month release cycle, delivering faster innovations.

🔹 Java 11 (2018): The New LTS

Java 11 became the next Long-Term Support (LTS) version after Java 8. Key features:

• var in lambda parameters
• HTTP Client API
• Removal of outdated APIs like JavaFX (now decoupled)
• More GC options

It marked a shift to more frequent, smaller releases and a stronger focus on modularity and performance.

🔹 Java 12 to 16: Modern Language Features

These versions, though short-lived, brought impactful changes:

• Switch expressions (preview in Java 12, finalized later)
• Text blocks (multi-line string literals)
• Records (Java 14 – concise data carriers)
• Pattern matching for instanceof

They gradually modernized Java’s syntax and programming model.

🔹 Java 17 (2021): LTS with Power

Java 17 is a Long-Term Support version packed with finalized modern features:

• Sealed classes
• Pattern matching
• New memory management improvements
• Strong encapsulation of internal APIs

It’s a highly recommended version for enterprise and production use.

🔹 Java 21 (2023): The Latest LTS

Java 21 is the most recent LTS release and includes:

• Virtual threads (Project Loom)
• String templates
• Structured concurrency (preview)
• Continued enhancements in performance and observability

It builds upon Java 17 and aims to make concurrent programming easier and more scalable.

Key Points

• Java versions are now released every 6 months, with LTS every 2 years.
• LTS Versions: Java 8, Java 11, Java 17, Java 21 — widely used in production.
• Java 8 introduced functional programming (lambdas, streams).
• Java 9+ started modularization with the JPMS system.
• Java 17 and 21 are modern, fast, secure, and future-ready.
• Each version improves syntax, performance, security, and developer productivity.
• Oracle JDK is free for development; OpenJDK is the open-source alternative.