Who Maintains Java?
Oracle, OpenJDK, the JCP, JEPs, release cadence, LTS versions, and the vendors that ship Java.
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Java isn't owned by a single company that keeps its plans secret. It's developed in the open, guided by a community process, and shipped by many vendors. Let's see who keeps Java alive and how it grows.
Oracle and OpenJDK
When Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems in 2010, it inherited Java. But Oracle doesn't develop Java behind closed doors. The reference implementation of Java is OpenJDK - a fully open-source project that anyone can read, use, and contribute to.
Imagine a garden that anyone can tend. There's a lead gardener (Oracle) who coordinates things, but volunteers and companies from all over - Amazon, Microsoft, Red Hat, IBM - plant, water, and improve it together. Everyone gets to enjoy the fruit. That's OpenJDK: shared, transparent, and collaborative.
How new features are decided: the JCP and JEPs
Java evolves through two main processes:
- The Java Community Process (JCP) - a formal body where companies and individuals propose and standardize changes through documents called JSRs (Java Specification Requests).
- JEPs (JDK Enhancement Proposals) - focused proposals for specific features or improvements in the JDK. Big features like the Stream API or virtual threads each started as a JEP.
This open, deliberate process is why Java is so stable and backward- compatible: code you write today will very likely still run decades from now.
Why backward compatibility matters
Banks, governments, and airlines run Java systems for decades. Java's careful change process means upgrades rarely break existing programs - a major reason enterprises trust it so much.
Release cadence and LTS versions
Since 2017, Java follows a predictable schedule: a new version every six months (for example, Java 21 in September, Java 22 the following March).
Most of these are "feature releases" supported only until the next one. But every few years, one version is designated Long-Term Support (LTS) - it receives updates and security fixes for many years. Companies usually build on LTS versions for stability.
| Type | Examples | Support |
|---|---|---|
| Feature release | Java 22, 23, 24 | ~6 months |
| LTS release | Java 8, 11, 17, 21, 25 | Several years |
Which version should you learn?
This course targets modern Java (17+). If you're setting up now, install the latest LTS (Java 21 or newer). Almost everything you learn applies to Java 8 and above, too.
Who ships Java? (Distributions)
Because OpenJDK is open source, many vendors build and distribute their own JDK builds - all based on the same OpenJDK source:
- Eclipse Temurin (from the Adoptium project) - a popular, free, no-strings choice
- Amazon Corretto - free, with long-term support from Amazon
- Azul Zulu, Microsoft Build of OpenJDK, Red Hat, and Oracle's own builds
They're largely interchangeable. For learning, Eclipse Temurin is a great, hassle-free pick.
Quick check
What is OpenJDK?
Key takeaways
- Oracle stewards Java, but it's developed openly through the OpenJDK project.
- New features are standardized via the Java Community Process (JSRs) and proposed as JEPs.
- Java's careful process keeps it remarkably stable and backward-compatible.
- A new version ships every six months; LTS releases (8, 11, 17, 21, 25) get long-term support.
- Many vendors ship OpenJDK builds - Temurin, Corretto, Zulu - and they're largely interchangeable.
Now that you know who builds Java, let's zoom into how it actually works - the JDK, the JRE, the JVM, and the journey from source code to a running program.