Oracle Releases Java 8

Oracle has released Java Development Kit 8. One of the most important changes is the addition of lambda expressions, anonymous functions. The release should have taken place half a year ago.

The JDK 8 released for download by Oracle is based on the Java Platform Standard Edition 8 specification. Actually, the release should have taken place in September last year, but extra work on Project Lambda in particular caused a delay. JDK 8 supports lambda expressions with which developers can program functionally. Working with anonymous functions should make using the object-oriented language more efficient and easier.

Among other things, the new Stream API of JDK 8 makes extensive use of lambda expressions for parallel processing of large data sets. Also new in Java 8 is the faster JavaScript engine Nashorn, which is based on SUN’s Da Vinci Machine and replaces the Rhino engine, while Java Mission Control 5.3 is also present. Finally, there is the Date-Time API, there are Compact Profiles subsets, and Oracle has made several security improvements. Oracle will explain the innovations in a webcast on March 25 in a webcast.

The release coincides with that of NetBeans 8, which includes enhanced analytics tools and editors for Java SE 8, Java SE Embedded 8, and Java ME Embedded 8. Among other things, the ide improves support for Maven, Java EE with PrimeFaces, php and C/C++ and there are new tools for html5.