Is Java SE 21 free?

Kenny 62 Published: 07/01/2024

Is Java SE 21 free?

I'm happy to respond in English for you!

Java SE (Standard Edition) is a programming platform developed by Oracle Corporation, and it's not entirely free. Here's what you need to know:

Oracle Java SE Licenses

Java SE comes with two primary licenses: the Oracle Binary Code License Agreement (BCLA) and the GNU General Public License (GPL). The BCLA governs the use of the Java SE binary code, while the GPL applies to the OpenJDK project, which is an open-source implementation of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

Java SE 21: Is it Free?

As of my knowledge cutoff in December 2021, Oracle has not officially released Java SE 21. The latest version available as of this writing is Java SE 17.

Now, regarding the cost:

Oracle's Commercial License: To use the official Java SE binaries (i.e., the "Oracle"-branded ones), you need to purchase a commercial license from Oracle. This typically involves paying an annual fee or acquiring a one-time license. OpenJDK and Open Source: The OpenJDK project, which is based on the original Sun Microsystems' Java implementation, offers an open-source alternative to Oracle's commercial Java SE binaries. As an open-source project, you can use OpenJDK without any licensing fees. However, keep in mind that OpenJDK might not offer the same level of support or bug fixes as Oracle's commercial offerings. Free and Open-Source Alternatives: If you're looking for free alternatives to Java SE, there are other options available, such as: Kotlin (developed by JetBrains) - a modern programming language that can run on the JVM. Groovy (developed by the Apache Software Foundation) - a scripting language that runs on the JVM. Scala (developed by Martin Odersky and his team) - a statically typed language that runs on the JVM.

In summary, while Java SE itself is not entirely free, there are open-source alternatives available, such as OpenJDK or free programming languages like Kotlin, Groovy, or Scala. If you need to use the official Oracle Java SE binaries, you'll need to purchase a commercial license.

java 21 features

Here are the top 21 Java features:

Multithreading: Java provides built-in support for multithreading, which allows your program to run multiple threads simultaneously. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): Java is an object-oriented language that supports concepts like encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism.

Dynamic Method Invocation: In Java, you can dynamically invoke methods using reflection. Garbage Collection: The Java Virtual Machine (JVM) provides automatic garbage collection to free up memory occupied by objects no longer in use. Platform Independence: Java allows you to write platform-independent code that can run on any device supporting the JVM. Exception Handling: Java has built-in support for exception handling, making it easy to handle and propagate errors. Type Safety: Java is a statically typed language, which means the type of every variable must be known at compile time, preventing common errors like null pointer exceptions. Automatic Memory Management: The JVM manages memory automatically, freeing you from worrying about memory allocation and deallocation. Java Native Interface (JNI): JNI allows Java code to interact with native code written in languages like C or C++. Sockets and Networking: Java provides built-in support for networking and sockets, making it easy to write networked applications. Java API for XML Processing (JAXP): JAXP provides a standardized way to process and generate XML documents from within your Java program. Java API for Remote Method Invocation (RMI): RMI allows you to invoke methods on remote objects, enabling distributed computing. Java Servlet: Java Servlet technology enables you to write server-side code that can respond to HTTP requests. JavaServer Pages (JSP): JSP provides a way to combine HTML and Java code in a single file to create dynamic web pages. Struts Framework: The Struts framework simplifies building web applications using the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. Spring Framework: Spring is an open-source framework that simplifies building web applications using the MVC pattern. Hibernate ORM: Hibernate provides Object-Relational Mapping, enabling you to map Java objects to relational databases. Apache Commons: Apache Commons is a collection of reusable Java libraries for tasks like file manipulation and data validation. JavaMail API: The JavaMail API enables your Java program to send and receive email messages using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and other protocols. JDBC API: JDBC provides a standardized way to interact with relational databases from within your Java program. JavaFX: JavaFX is a software platform for creating desktop applications, games, and multimedia content that integrates with Swing and Java 2D APIs.

These are just some of the many features that make Java such a powerful and versatile language.