Java10 – Time-Based Release Versioning | new version string format in java

java 10 New release feature

This post is about how Java 10 introduced a new release pattern on time-based.

It includes releases based on new features, updated releases, long term support of java and JDK present and future releases.

JDK enhancement proposal number is JEP 322🔗- time-based release new version schema.

It allows end-users to make a decision based on the release whether to upgrade to the latest release or not.

There are different major or minor versions every year based on the features, bug fixes, and critical fixes.

java Major Or feature release process

This release will be happened for every 6 months - March and September.
It includes major changes of Java SDK and JDK for the following changes.

• Adding JVM features
• Adding Major Language changes
• Changes in API
• Deprecated/Remove changes or features

Update or quarter release process

This release includes fixes for bug and regression testing issues and minor issues.

This will be released for every quarter - Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct.

The Existing release version information

B:\>java -version
java version "10.0.2" 2018-07-17
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment 18.3 (build 10.0.2+13)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM 18.3 (build 10.0.2+13, mixed mode)

It changes to the new version format as below.

java10 New Version String Format

$FEATURE.$INTERIM.$UPDATE.$PATCH

There are four parts of a new version format
$FEATURE: It is a version number of a feature, starting number is 10. It does increment for every six
$INTERIM: It is a number representing interim release. This includes bug fixes, no major API changes. The counter number starts from zero every six months.

$UPDATE: update release versioning number. This occurs every quarter.
If it is July 2018 release - It will be 10.0.2
If it is Oct 2018 release - It will be 10.0.3
If it is Dec 2018 release - It will be 10.0.4
$PATCH: Patch release or emergency release for priority one or critical issues
$EMERG: Emergency release

java10 classes

With Java 10 release, We can get version information with the Runtime.version() method.
and returns theRuntime.Version java class, we can get new version information.

Here is an java.lang.Runtime.Version example

public class VersionDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Runtime.Version version = Runtime.version();
        int feature = version.feature();
        int interim = version.interim();
        int update = version.update();
        int patch = version.patch();
        System.out.println(" feature:" + feature);
        System.out.println(" interim: " + interim);
        System.out.println(" update: " + update);
        System.out.println(" patch: " + patch);

    }
}

output:

 feature:10
 interim: 0
 update: 2
 patch: 0

How to find the Version release information for System properties in java?

There are two system properties java.version.date: This is the release date of the release.
java.vendor.version : Version information of an implemented vendor.

Here is an example for java version date and vendor version

public class VersionDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(System.getProperty("java.version.date"));
        System.out.println(System.getProperty("java.vendor.version"));


    }
}

Long-term release support

Customers have long-term support from Oracle for any major feature.
From Sep 2018, Every major or feature release has an update for a release for at least three years.

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