Evolution of Java: A Journey Through Major Versions and Their Impact on Development

3 min readDec 25, 2023

Java, a programming language that has stood the test of time, has witnessed remarkable evolution over the years. From its inception in 1996 to the present day, each Java version has brought forth new features and enhancements, shaping the way developers create robust and scalable applications. In this article, we embark on a journey through the major versions of Java, exploring the key features introduced in each iteration and understanding their significance in the world of software development.

Java 1.0 (January 23, 1996)

Basic language features: Classes, interfaces, and packages.
Applet support for web development.
GUI development with Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT).

Java 1.1 (February 19, 1997)

Addition of inner classes.
JDBC (Java Database Connectivity) for database access.
RMI (Remote Method Invocation) for distributed computing.
AWT enhancements.

Java 1.2 (December 8, 1998) — Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE)

Introduction of the Collections Framework.
Swing GUI toolkit.
Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI).
Java Naming Conventions introduced.

Java 1.3 (May 8, 2000)

Java Platform Debugger Architecture (JPDA).
Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) improvements.
HotSpot JVM introduced for better performance.

Java 1.4 (February 6, 2002)

Assertion facility.
Logging API (java.util.logging).
XML Processing (JAXP) enhancements.
Java Web Start.

Java 5 (September 30, 2004) — Java SE 5.0

Generics.
Metadata Annotations.
Autoboxing/Unboxing.
Enhanced for loop.
Enumerations.

Java 6 (December 11, 2006) — Java SE 6

Scripting support with the inclusion of the Java Compiler API.
JDBC 4.0 with support for XML data.
Improved web service support.

Java 7 (July 28, 2011)

Project Coin: Small language enhancements.
Fork/Join Framework for parallel programming.
Try-with-resources statement.
Diamond operator for generic instance creation.

Java 8 (March 18, 2014)

Lambda expressions.
Stream API.
Date and Time API (java.time).
Nashorn JavaScript Engine.

Java 9 (September 21, 2017)

Module system (Project Jigsaw).
JShell: Read-Eval-Print Loop (REPL) for Java.
Compact Strings.
HTTP/2 support in the HttpClient.

Java 10 (March 20, 2018)

Local-Variable Type Inference (var).
Parallel Full GC for G1.
Application Class-Data Sharing.

Java 11 (September 25, 2018) — LTS (Long-Term Support) release

HTTP Client (standardized).
Flight Recorder.
Epsilon: A no-op garbage collector.
var allowed in lambda expressions.

Java 12 (March 19, 2019)

Switch expressions (preview).
Shenandoah: A low-pause-time garbage collector.
Microbenchmarking.

Java 13 (September 17, 2019)

Text Blocks.
Dynamic CDS Archives.
Z Garbage Collector (experimental).

Java 14 (March 17, 2020)

JEP 305: Pattern Matching for instanceof.
JEP 358: Helpful NullPointerExceptions.
Records (preview).
JEP 361: Switch Expressions (standard feature).

Java 15 (September 15, 2020)

Sealed Classes (second preview).
Hidden Classes.
Z Garbage Collector improvements.

Java 16 (March 16, 2021)

JEP 338: Vector API (Incubator).
JEP 376: ZGC: Concurrent Thread-Stack Processing.
Unix-Domain Socket Channels.

Java 17 (September 14, 2021) — LTS (Long-Term Support) release

Sealed Classes (final version).
Pattern Matching for switch.
New macOS rendering pipeline (Metal).
Foreign function and memory API (Incubator).

Conclusion:

As we conclude our exploration of Java’s evolution through its major versions, it becomes evident that the language has continuously adapted to meet the changing needs of the software development landscape. From the early days of applet support and AWT to the modern era of sealed classes and enhanced garbage collection strategies, Java has remained a stalwart choice for developers across the globe. The language’s commitment to backward compatibility, combined with the introduction of innovative features, has kept Java relevant and versatile. Looking ahead, the future of Java seems promising as it continues to evolve, providing a solid foundation for developers to build upon and create the next generation of cutting-edge applications.