After six months of development, Oracle announced the release of Java SE 24 (Java Platform, Standard Edition 24), which is a standard implementation based on the open project OpenJDK. The latest version retains reverse compatibility with previous Java platform versions, allowing most existing Java projects to run without any changes. The Java SE 24 installation package (JDK, JRE, and Server JRE) is available for Linux (x86_64, aarch64), Windows (x86_64), and MacOS (x86_64, Aarch64). The reference implementation developed under the GNU Classpath license as part of the OpenJDK project is open, enabling integration with commercial products.
Java SE 24 is categorized as a release with standard support, meaning updates will be provided until the next release. For long-term support (LTS), Java SE 21 or Java SE 17 should be used, with updates available until 2031 and 2029 respectively. Extended support for Java SE 8 LTS will continue until 2030, and Java SE 11 until 2032. The upcoming LTS release after Java SE 24 will be Java SE 25 set to be released in the fall.
Among the features introduced in Java SE 24, some of the innovations include:
- Experimental generational garbage collection mode with Shenandoah, designed to enhance efficiency by processing old and new objects separately. This new mode aims to reduce garbage collection stop time, provide more predictable throughput, and decrease memory consumption during the process.
- Experimental support for compact object headers in