We are happy to announce the general availability of Liberica JDK 21, the new LTS release that will enjoy BellSoft’s extended support until March 2032! Download the builds now or read on to discover why migration to Liberica JDK could be the turning point for your enterprise Java development.
Liberica JDK 21 supports the Coordinated Restore at Checkpoint API. The feature help to minimize Java application startup to mere milliseconds. Download Java with CRaC and experiment with the functionality!
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JDK 21 — more performant, secure, and user-friendly
The new LTS release includes 15 new and improved features to enhance performance and accelerate development by enabling programmers to write more concise and manageable code. We described every JEP in detail in our previous article, but let’s do some cherry-picking!
- Boosted performance:
- Virtual threads (finalized feature) enable the developers to create thousands of lightweight threads, which can be monitored and controlled like the standard application threads, bringing the performance and manageability of high-throughput applications to a new level.
- Generational ZGC stores young and old objects separately and collects young ones more often, thus reducing the GC and heap memory overhead.
- Enhanced security:
- The new Key Encapsulation Mechanism API allows Java developers to use a modern cryptographic technique of securing symmetric keys with asymmetric or public key cryptography. KEM is a promising method for protection against quantum attacks, which may present a significant security threat in the near future.
- Increased convenience:
- Unnamed patterns and variables enable the developers to substitute unnecessary type and name of record components and unused variables with the underscore character _, which increases code readability and conciseness.
- Record patterns are used to destructure instances of record classes and create nested patterns, enabling more declarative data processing.
What better occasion for getting off Oracle Java license?
A new version plus another vendor equals new life for your Java apps. But if you have used Oracle Java for years, should you bother with migration to OpenJDK? The answer is “yes, you should,” and here are the TOP 3 reasons why:
- The new Java SE Universal Subscription introduced by Oracle in January 2023 makes companies acquire Java licenses based on the number of full-time, part-time, and temporary employees (including those of their agents and contractors). As a result, a medium-sized company may experience up to a 1,400 % increase in Java costs!
- Oracle made a habit of changing Java licensing conditions every two years, keeping their customers on tenterhooks.
- You have to acquire a license to receive quarterly security updates for your runtime, which are free of charge with OpenJDK vendors.
And the list goes on! If you are still in doubt, download the summary of 10 indisputable reasons to say goodbye to Oracle Java.
Life after Oracle Java — get the most complete Java experience with Liberica JDK
You can leverage your Java expenses and migrate to OpenJDK — the codebase is the same as Oracle Java’s, so the key differences are in licensing (OpenJDK distributions are 100 % open source and freely available) and additional offerings, so the choice should be based on your business needs.
Liberica JDK is the only Java runtime that offers the most complete Java experience with:
- The broadest range of supported platforms and versions. BellSoft supports all LTS versions, the current version, legacy Java 6 & 7, and GraalVM Native Image — even if your services run on different Java versions, we’ve got you covered.
- Affordable prices. You can use Liberica JDK for free or enjoy our high-powered support with flexible plans customized for your requirements and 24/7 service directly from Java engineers.
- Three flavors: Liberica JDK Standard, Liberica JDK Full with JavaFX, and Liberica JDK Lite optimized for cloud deployments, each tailored to specific purposes.
- Additional instruments and technologies, such as
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- Liberica Native Image Kit for creating native images,
- Liberica Administration Center for monitoring and updating a corporate Java fleet,
- Liberica JDK Performance Edition for those who want to enjoy the performance perks of fresh Java versions and upgrade JDK at their own pace.
- Alpaquita Containers are lightweight containers for Spring Boot applications that can help you save up to 30 % of RAM instantly.
Find out even more Liberica JDK features in our overview of Oracle Java alternatives or get a comparative table of commercial offerings of OpenJDK vendors vs Oracle and discover the value you get for your money.
Download Liberica JDK 21 now!
Ready to turn the page on endless helter-skelter with Oracle Java licensing? Download Liberica JDK 21 and enjoy all the benefits of a progressive Java runtime from a leading OpenJDK contributor!
