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Java 8

StatusLong Term Support Release
Release Date2014-03-18
EOL Date2026-11
Latest Version8u452
Class File Version52.0
Unicode Version6.2.0
API ChangesCompare to 7 - 6 - 5 - 1.4 - 1.3 - 1.2 - 1.1 - 1.0
DocumentationRelease Notes, Language Spec, VM Spec, JavaDoc
SCMgit
Data Source

Java 8 finally added lambda syntax and method references as a modern language constructs. The main application within the JDK API is the new java.util.streams package. An initial set of common functional interfaces is shipped in the new package java.util.function.

The extremely useful Joda-Time library has been integrated into the JDK as a new package java.time. Instead of the mostly deprecated java.util.Date and java.util.Calendar classes we now have a modern and powerful API for calculations with dates and times.

Also Oracle started to bundle JavaFX in its JDK distribution (which was removed again in Java 11).

New Features

Here are all new features in Java 8 by category. There is also of list of all features of all Java releases.

JVM

Language

API

Downloads

VendorProductLicensePlatform Downloads
AdoptiumEclipse TemurinGPLv2+CE
AdoptOpenJDKAdoptOpenJDKGPLv2+CE
AlibabaDragonwell 8GPLv2+CE
AmazonCorretto 8GPLv2+CE
Azul SystemsZulu Builds of OpenJDK 8GPLv2+CE
Azul SystemsAzul PrimeCommercial
  • linux-x64
  • linux-arm64
BellSoftLibericaGPLv2+CE
IBMIBM SDK, Java Technology Edition, Version 8Commercial
IBMSemeru Runtime Open Edition, Version 8GPLv2+CE
OracleOracle JDK 8Commercial
Red HatRed Hat build of OpenJDK 8GPLv2+CE
Data Source

Sandbox

Instantly compile and run Java 8 snippets without a local Java installation.

import java.util.stream.Stream; public class Java8 { public static void main(String[] args) { Stream.of("Hello", "Java", "8").map(String::toUpperCase).forEach(System.out::println); } }
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