Oracle Java 8 and 11 will reach their End of Life in several years, meaning that there will be no updates— free or paid. Running mission-critical workloads on unsupported Java versions introduces significant enterprise risks, from increasing operational costs to potential compliance violations.
This guide examines the implications of what Java End of Life means for business operations and outlines cost-effective migration strategies to ensure continuous security and performance.
Table of Contents
What Does End of Lifecycle Mean?
End of Life (EOL) marks the definitive point when a software version receives its final update and all vendor support permanently ceases. For Java deployments, EOL creates an immediate technical inflection point with far-reaching business implications:
- Security patches stop completely, even for critical vulnerabilities;
- Bug fixes and performance improvements terminate permanently;
- Technical support options disappear entirely, regardless of willingness to pay.
Java's Evolving Release Cadence
Java's release model transformed from an unpredictable schedule to a structured cadence starting with Java 9. The current model introduced with Java 17 delivers LTS versions every two years (Java 17, 21, 25) with regular six-month feature releases between them. Security fixes arrive through quarterly Critical Patch Updates, which are available for all currently supported LTS versions (8, 11, 17, 21) and the current feature version.
When a Java version crosses its EOL threshold, applications immediately begin accumulating technical debt and security vulnerabilities that cannot be remediated through normal update channels. This creates a rapidly expanding risk surface that impacts security posture, operational stability, and regulatory compliance.
Business Risks of Unsupported Java Versions
When Java 8 and 11 reach end-of-life status, businesses face a critical inflection point—not simply an IT maintenance milestone. The end of vendor support creates a cascade of technical vulnerabilities and operational risks that directly impact business continuity:
Security Vulnerabilities & Data Breach Threats
Every quarter, Oracle's Critical Patch Updates address dozens of newly discovered vulnerabilities. Once EOL occurs, these vulnerabilities remain permanently unpatched in your production environment.
Financial institutions and enterprises running business-critical applications face the added problem of failing security audits and insurance coverage reviews, potentially invalidating cyber insurance policies precisely when they're most needed.
Operational Failures & System Instability
The production environment surrounding Java doesn't remain static. Database vendors, application server providers, and library maintainers all move forward with their technology roadmaps—often dropping support for legacy JDKs without explicit warnings.
When these failures occur, recovery isn't simple. Emergency migrations under pressure typically require:
- 3-6 months for straightforward applications;
- 6-12+ months for complex enterprise systems;
- Significant unplanned engineering resources diverted from strategic initiatives.
During this emergency migration period, production systems often remain partially impaired or running on improvised workarounds that introduce additional stability risks.
Regulatory Non-Compliance & Legal Exposure
Modern regulatory frameworks explicitly require actively maintained software components Operating EOL Java versions creates direct compliance violations across multiple frameworks:
- The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) requires that software suppliers "ensure that vulnerabilities can be addressed" throughout the product's lifecycle—impossible with EOL Java.
- The PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC), an international information security standard used to handle credit cards, requires organizations to "protect system components and software from known vulnerabilities" in section 6.3.1, with auditors automatically flagging EOL runtime components.
- The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requires implementing "technical security measures to guard against unauthorized access"—unpatched JVMs fail this requirement by definition.
- Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) requires timely remediation of vulnerabilities, with EOL software creating permanent unresolvable compliance issues.
Failed compliance audits trigger a cascade of consequences, including financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties.
Increased Infrastructure Costs
While modern JVMs deliver significant performance improvements through better garbage collection, memory management, and JIT compilation, legacy JVMs lack these optimizations—creating a growing efficiency gap.
This efficiency gap translates directly to infrastructure costs. Organizations running legacy JVMs typically require:
- 20-40% more compute resources for equivalent workloads;
- 30-50% higher peak capacity provisioning;
- 2-3x more frequent scaling events under variable load.
This makes cloud cost optimization nearly impossible as you're forced to compensate for fundamental runtime inefficiencies by over-provisioning resources.
Java 8 and 11 End of Life: The Final Countdown
Java 8 and 11 will reach their end-of-support milestones on different schedules depending on your chosen runtime provider. These deadlines represent hard cutoffs after which no security patches or fixes will be available—even for critical vulnerabilities. Let’s look at the major JDK distributions.
Oracle JDK
Oracle doesn’t provide free updates for Oracle Java 8 and 11. The updates are available only as part of commercial support. Oracle Java 8 reaches End of Life in December 2030, while Oracle Java 11 meets EOL in September 2026.
The next LTS release of Oracle Java 17 follows a new licensing model, according to which free updates are provided for three years. After that, the enterprise must migrate to the next Oracle Java LTS version or acquire a subscription. Commercial support for Oracle Java LTS 17+ is provided for eight years. Oracle Java 17 reaches EOL in September 2029.
OpenJDK Vendor Alternatives
Alternative OpenJDK vendors provide free quarterly updates for JDK 8 and 11 and commercial support until the End of Life of their respective distributions. LTS versions 17+ also receive free updates for five and more years depending on the vendor.
For example, BellSoft offers the longest support period for JDK 8 and 11. BellSoft’s OpenJDK distribution Liberica JDK 8 will reach End of Life in March 2031, and Liberica JDK 11 meets EOL in March 2032.
| JDK Version |
Oracle JDK |
Oracle Java SE (paid EOL) | Liberica JDK EOL |
|
JDK 8 |
January 2019 |
December 2030 |
March 2031 |
|
JDK 11 |
March 2019 |
September 2026 |
March 2032 |
|
JDK 17 |
September 2024 |
September 2029 |
March 2030 |
|
JDK 21 |
September 2026 |
September 2031 |
March 2032 |
To summarize, if you would like to stay on Java 8 and 11 as long as possible, you can migrate to Liberica JDK and receive one more year for JDK 8 or six more years for JDK 11. Liberica JDK is a TCK-verified Java runtime, which means that if an application runs on Oracle Java, it will run on Liberica JDK. Migration requires little to no adjustments.
Migration Strategy: How to Move from Java 8 or 11 to a Newer Version
Enterprise Java migrations require thorough planning to minimize disruption. Legacy applications don't simply run Java—they depend on ecosystems of libraries, frameworks, and tools that must evolve together.
Migrating from Java 8/11 to modern versions introduces several challenges:
- Third-party dependencies requiring updates or replacements;
- Platform changes necessitating code refactoring;
- Modified deployment and operational procedures.
A successful migration balances technical requirements with business continuity. Starting well before EOL deadlines provides the necessary runway to address compatibility issues methodically rather than under crisis.
With these implications in mind, below are the steps that will help you draft a robust migration plan:
- Assess risks and business impact. Identify applications running on Java 8/11 and prioritize critical systems. More critical services should be migrated first.
- Consider vendor options. Decide whether you want to extend the subscription with your current vendor or consider alternative OpenJDK offerings.
- Choose the Right Migration Path:
- Upgrade to Java 17 or 21 if you have required time and developer resources now.
- Use an OpenJDK vendor for extended support to get years of JDK 8/11 support if the migration duration is estimated to extend beyond Oracle Java 8/11 EOL .
- Ensure Compatibility. The team must test all applications with the new Java version before deployment to avoid failures and errors in production.
- Mitigate Downtime Risks. The team should use a phased rollout strategy to prevent operational disruptions.
- Plan for Continuous Java Upgrades. Set up a long-term Java upgrade policy to avoid future EOL crises.
A complete migration to a newer Java version may take a year or more depending on the complexity of the program and available resources. You can use the guides Migration from JDK 8 to 17 or Migration from JDK 11 to 17 to identify features and options removed in newer versions and ensure smooth transition.
While developers solve incompatibility issues and refactor code, the application may experience serious performance degradation.
To preserve stable operation and keep up with the modern performance requirements whilst your application undergoes JDK upgrade, consider using a fused JDK Liberica JDK Performance Edition.
Increased Performance and Extended Life of JDK 8/11 with Liberica JDK Performance Edition
If your migration to Java 17 or 21 has a lengthy timeline, but your business faces growing performance requirements and resource use pressure, Liberica JDK Performance Edition offers a solution. This technology fuses JDK 8 or 11 with the high-performing JVM 17.
How does it work?
The Performance Edition delivers modern JVM optimizations to legacy applications without requiring code changes:
- Your application continues using familiar JDK 8/11 APIs and libraries;
- The underlying JVM leverages Java 17's advanced garbage collection and memory management;
- Applications gain immediate performance benefits with zero code refactoring.
Performance benchmarks demonstrate 10–15% performance improvements —even with the default settings and no tuning.
What does it mean for business?
- Immediate Performance Gains: Enhance application responsiveness and throughput without waiting for complete migration.
- Reduced Infrastructure Costs: Lower resource utilization through efficient garbage collection and memory management.
- Zero Migration Risk: Maintain full compatibility with existing application code and dependencies.
- Extended Transition Timeline: Gain breathing room for methodical migration planning while immediately addressing performance needs.
- No Vendor Lock-In: Built on 100% open source, TCK-verified components for seamless transitions
Experience these benefits firsthand by requesting Liberica JDK Performance Edition demo builds for testing with your application. Evaluate performance improvements in your specific environment before making deployment decisions.
Request Liberica JDK Performance Edition for Testing
Conclusion: Proactive Planning Prevents Business Disruptions
The impending End of Life for Java 8 and 11 is not merely a technical milestone—it represents a critical business risk inflection point. When these platforms stop receiving security updates and fixes, organizations face a cascade of potentially severe consequences:
- Security vulnerabilities that remain permanently unpatched, creating expanding attack surfaces;
- Regulatory non-compliance leading to failed audits, legal penalties, and contractual breaches;
- Sudden application failures as the surrounding technology ecosystem evolves;
- Spiraling infrastructure costs from inefficient runtime performance;
- Emergency migration projects with compressed timelines and elevated failure risks.
Organizations that wait until EOL deadlines approach find themselves with severely limited options. The time to act is now, while multiple strategic pathways remain available:
- Conduct a comprehensive Java inventory to identify all affected applications and dependencies;
- Develop a prioritized migration roadmap based on business criticality and technical complexity;
- Leverage performance optimization solutions like Liberica JDK Performance Edition to enhance application efficiency while planning longer-term migrations;
- Establish a sustainable versioning strategy that aligns with vendor support timelines to prevent future EOL challenges.
By taking proactive steps, companies can protect their operational stability while achieving improved performance, reduced costs, and enhanced security.
FAQ
What if my application isn’t compatible with Java 17 or 21?
The application may use features or JVM options deprecated in newer Java versions. In this case, you have to refactor the code to be able to use JDK 17 or 21.
How long does Java migration take?
The migration period depends on the complexity of the application and is different for each case. The more dependencies and legacy Java features the project uses, the longer will the migration take.
What is the exact end-of-life (EOL) date for Oracle Java 8 and 11?
Oracle Java 8 reaches End of Life in December 2030, Oracle Java 11 reaches EOL in September 2026.
What happens if I continue using Java 8 or 11 after EOL?
Staying on Java versions past their EOL may lead to audit failures, operational failures, and cybersecurity threats.
How do I check if my applications depend on Java 8 or 11?
The fastest way to check the JDK version is to run java -version.
Can I upgrade directly from Java 8 to Java 17 or 21?
Yes, you can, but it will take time to solve all incompatibilities and update library versions.
What is the safest migration path from Java 8/11?
- Identify the Java versions your project uses;
- Classify the services according to their significance;
- Migrate the most critical services to Liberica JDK Performance Edition to increase their performance;
- Upgrade the services one by one, compile the application and solve issues and errors if any;
- Run the services to verify their behavior before deploying them in production;
- Use a phased rollout strategy.
Is there a way to delay migration while still improving security and performance?
You can migrate to Liberica JDK Performance Edition that couples JDK 8 or 11 and JVM 17. It means that you stay on JDK 8 or 11, but your application receives the performance boost thanks to a newer JVM. In addition, Liberica JDK Performance Edition is supported longer than other distributions, so you will have more time to perform the complete migration.
What are the licensing differences between Oracle Java and OpenJDK distributions?
Starting with Java 17, Oracle Java is distributed under the Oracle No-Fee Terms and Conditions license. OpenJDK distributions are open source and licensed under GPLv2 + Classpath exception.
