Hand-picked collection of top Java resources
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant.
We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
~Albert Einstein
The future of the Java programming language looks strong and promising, especially in the enterprise, cloud, and Android development spaces. Here are several factors and trends that paint a clearer picture of Java's future:
Java 25, the latest Long‑Term‑Support (LTS) release scheduled for general availability on September 16, 2025, continues to push the platform forward with modern language features, runtime enhancements, and robust tooling support. IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, VS Code, Maven, and Gradle updates are already integrating preview support for Java 25’s new language and JVM features. Java 26 (JSR 401): Expert Group formed June 2025, Public Review in late 2025, GA targeted for March 2026. Expect Java 27 in September 2026, Java 29 in September 2028, with each bringing new JEPs and stability windows.
| Version | Type | Class File Format | Release Date | End of Public Updates (Free) | End of Extended Support (Paid) |
| JDK 1.0 | 45 | 23 January 1996 | May 1996 | — | |
| JDK 1.1 | 45 | 18 February 1997 | October 2002 | — | |
| J2SE 1.2 | 46 | 4 December 1998 | November 2003 | — | |
| J2SE 1.3 | 47 | 8 May 2000 | March 2006 | — | |
| J2SE 1.4 | 48 | 13 February 2002 | October 2008 | — | |
| J2SE 5.0 (1.5) | 49 | 30 September 2004 | October 2009 | — | |
| Java SE 6 (1.6) | 50 | 11 December 2006 | April 2013 | October 2018 for Oracle | |
| Java SE 7 (1.7) | 51 | 28 July 2011 | July 2015 | July 2022 for Oracle | |
| Java SE 8 (1.8) | LTS | 52 | 18 March 2014 | April 2019 | December 2030 for Oracle |
| Java SE 9 (1.9) | 53 | 21 September 2017 | March 2018 | — | |
| Java SE 10 | 54 | 20 March 2018 | September 2018 | — | |
| Java SE 11 | LTS | 55 | 25 September 2018 | April 2019 | January 2032 for Oracle |
| Java SE 12 | 56 | 19 March 2019 | September 2019 | — | |
| Java SE 13 | 57 | 17 September 2019 | March 2020 | — | |
| Java SE 14 | 58 | 17 March 2020 | September 2020 | — | |
| Java SE 15 | 59 | 16 September 2020 | March 2021 | — | |
| Java SE 16 | 60 | 16 March 2021 | September 2021 | — | |
| Java SE 17 | LTS | 61 | 14 September 2021 | September 2024 | September 2029 for Oracle |
| Java SE 18 | 62 | 22 March 2022 | September 2022 | — | |
| Java SE 19 | 63 | 20 September 2022 | March 2023 | — | |
| Java SE 20 | 64 | 21 March 2023 | September 2023 | — | |
| Java SE 21 | LTS | 65 | 19 September 2023 | September 2028 | September 2031 for Oracle |
| Java SE 22 | 66 | 19 March 2024 | September 2024 | — | |
| Java SE 23 | 67 | 17 September 2024 | March 2025 | — | |
| Java SE 24 | 68 | 18 March 2025 | September 2025 | — | |
| Java SE 25 | LTS | 69 | September 2025 | September 2030 | September 2033 for Oracle |
1. Continued Evolution with Regular Updates
- Java has adopted a 6-month release cycle for faster innovation.
- Recent features include Pattern Matching, Records, and Sealed Classes.
- Java 21 introduces Virtual Threads (Project Loom) for better concurrency handling.
2. Strong Presence in Enterprise and Cloud
- Widely used in enterprise applications with frameworks like Spring, Jakarta EE, and Micronaut.
- Cloud-native development enabled by GraalVM, Quarkus, and Spring Boot.
3. Continued Use in Android Development
- Though Kotlin is preferred, Java remains widely used and supported in Android apps.
- Java developers can easily learn Kotlin and transition into mobile development.
4. Integration with Modern Technologies
- Java is used in Big Data (e.g., Hadoop, Spark), AI/ML (e.g., DJL), and Blockchain (e.g., Web3j).
- New JVM-based libraries and frameworks are bridging the gap with emerging domains.
5. Developer Community and Tooling
- Massive global community and corporate backing.
- Rich ecosystem of IDEs: IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, VS Code.
- Excellent support for CI/CD, testing, and deployment tools.
6. Backward Compatibility and Stability
- Java prioritizes backward compatibility, critical for enterprise longevity.
- Older applications can still run with minimal modifications.
7. Industry Support
- Backed by major tech firms: Oracle, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Red Hat.
- Used extensively in Finance, Telecom, Banking, and Retail sectors.
Summary: The Future in a Nutshell
| Area | Outlook |
| Enterprise Apps | Strong and Growing |
| Cloud-native Development | Rapidly Evolving |
| Android Development | Still Relevant |
| Modern Features | Continuously Improving |
| Developer Jobs | High Demand Continues |
| Community Support | Extremely Active |
- JavaOne returns in 2025
- https://www.oracle.com/javaone/
- Java Software | Oracle
- https://www.oracle.com/java/
- Oracle for Developers | Programming languages, Tools, Community
- https://www.oracle.com/developer/
- Developer Community - Oracle forums
- https://forums.oracle.com/ords/apexds/domain/dev-community
- Oracle Blogs | Oracle Developers Blog
- https://blogs.oracle.com/developers/
- Java | Oracle
- https://www.java.com/en/
- Learn Java
- https://dev.java/learn/
- The Java Tutorials
- https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/
- Java Documentation
- https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/
- For people who have passion for Java technology!
- https://www.jpassion.com
- JavaRanch - A friendly Place for Java Greenhorns
- https://javaranch.com/
- Java - Resources and Tools - IBM Developer
- https://developer.ibm.com/languages/java/
- Collected concise presentations of Java practices, tasks, and designs
- http://www.javapractices.com/home/HomeAction.do
- Evolving Java news and case studies
- https://www.infoq.com/java
- Java Corner at Artima.com
- https://www.artima.com/java/index.html
- Learn Java and Spring
- https://mkyong.com/
- Baeldung - Latest articles on Java
- https://www.baeldung.com/
- Java Tutorial for Beginners
- https://www.tutorialspoint.com/java/index.htm
- Java T Point - Java Tutorial
- https://www.javatpoint.com/java-tutorial
- Vogella Java Tutorials
- https://www.vogella.com/tutorials/java.html
- How to do in Java - Java blog for smart concepts and coding practices
- https://howtodoinjava.com/
- Java resources for professionals
- https://www.concretepage.com/java/
- Java Tutorial
- https://jenkov.com/tutorials/java/index.html
- Java Tutorial
- https://www.w3resource.com/java-tutorial/
- Core Java APIs and programming techniques | Resources and Information from TechTarget
- https://www.theserverside.com/resources/Core-Java-APIs-and-programming-techniques
- Further resources for Java Performance Tuning
- https://www.javaperformancetuning.com/resources.shtml
- Java 17 features: A comparison between versions 8 and 17. What has changed over the years?
- https://pretius.com/blog/java-17-features/
- Java 21 features: A detailed look at the most important changes in the new LTS release
- https://pretius.com/blog/java-21-features/
- Java 23 features: A deep dive into the newest enhancements
- https://pretius.com/blog/java-23-features/