Only a few programming language programming had brought a fundamental impact. Which, Java effects due to rapid and extensive and is particularly prominent. It is no exaggeration to say that in 1995 Sun released the Java1.0 brought a revolution to the field of computer programming. This change quickly transform the Web a highly interactive environment, but also to the design of computer languages to set a new standard.
Over the years, Java constantly evolving, evolution and revision. And other languages added new features different slow movement, Java has been at the forefront of computer programming languages, in part because of cultural change, in part because of changes it faces. Java has done a large or small number of upgrades.
The first major upgrade is version 1.1, this upgrade is relatively large, adding a lot of new library element, revised to handle events the way to reconfigure the 1.0 version of the library many functions.
The second major version of Java2, it represents the second generation of Java, the arrival of "modernization" of the marks of Java. Java2 first release of version 1.2. Use Java2 version 1.2 in the first release looks a little strange, because the original version is the build number of Java libraries, and later refers to the whole version number. Java2 be repackaged as Sun's J2SE (Java 2 Platform Standard Edition, please read as J-two-SE, rather than J-2-SE), and began to be applied to the version number of the product.
In the next version of J2SE is J2SE 1.3, Java 2 version for the first time it is a major upgrade. It enhances some existing features.
J2SE 1.4 release after further enhanced Java. This version includes some important new features such as chained exception, based on the channel I / O (NIO) and assert keyword.
The next version after version of J2SE 1.4 is J2SE 5, he was the second change Java. Java provides several upgrade from a previous improvement is important, but it is incremental, and the scope of the language never J2SE 5, function and range of other areas to provide improved fundamentally. To help understand the degree of modification J2SE 5, the following are some of the major new features in J2SE 5:
● Generics
● Automatic boxing / unboxing automatic
● Enumeration
● enhanced for-each loop form for
● Variable length arguments (varargs)
● static imports
● notes (annotation)
These entries are important upgrades, each one represents an important improvement of the Java language. Wherein, generic, enhanced for loops and variable-length argument introduced a new syntax element; Automatic boxing and unboxing automatically modify the grammar rules; annotation program adds a new annotation method.
The importance of these new features are reflected in the version number of "5" from the version number to see changes in the way, this version of Java should be 1.5. Because so many new features and changes, the conventional version upgrade (from 1.4 to 1.5) has been unable to identify the actual change, so Sun decided to use version 5, to emphasize the important improvements occurred. Therefore, the current version is called J2SE 5, Development Kit, called JDK 5. However, in order to maintain consistency with previous, Sun decided to use as an internal version number 1.5, also known as the development of the version number. "5" is called the product version number in J2SE 5.
After the release of J2SE 5 is an upgraded version of Java SE 6, Sun once again decided to change the name of the Java platform, the "2" is deleted from the version number. So, Java platform is now called Java SE, the official product names are the Java Platform Standard Edition 6, the corresponding Java Development Kit, called JDK 6. And as J2SE 5, Java SE 6 "6" refers to the product version number, internal development version number is 1.6.
Java SE 6 is based on the J2SE 5, made further enhancements and improvements. Java SE 6 does not add greater functionality to the Java language itself, but to enhance the API library, adds several new packages, improve the run-time environment. It has gone through some updates in the long life cycle, we added some upgrades. In short, Java SE 6 to further consolidate its leading position J2SE 5 established. In the country, J2SE 5 and Java SE 6 is the most used version.
After the release of Java SE 6 is an upgraded version of Java SE 7, the corresponding Java Development Kit, called JDK 7, the internal version number is 1.7. Java SE 7 is acquired by Oracle (April 20, 2009 only $ 7.4 billion acquisition, after the acquisition of Sun in just one year leave James Gosling did give Oracle a) The first major release after Sun Microsystems. Java SE 7 includes many new features, language and API library to do a number of enhancements. Java SE 7 most important function is to add those features developed in Project Coin in. Project Coin aims to ensure that the Java language does contain a lot of small changes to 7 JDK, including:
● Use String control switch statement.
● shaping binary literals.
● use underscores the value of the literal.
● New called try-with-resources try statements, supports automatic resource management.
● The generic structure instance, by using a diamond type inference operator.
● enhanced exception handling, you can use a single catch capture two or more anomalies (multiple capture), and re-thrown exception can be better type checking.
It can be seen, although the Project Coin features are regarded as small change, but "small" word really does not reflect the benefits they bring. In particular, try-with-resources statement will have a profound impact on the way a lot of code to write.
After Oracle launched the Java SE 8, which is currently the latest version of the domestic use (just a few companies, most companies are still using versions prior to 8 Java SE), Java SE 8 is a corresponding development kit JDK 8, internal development version number is 1.8. JDK 8 indicates that this is a major upgrade to the Java language (in fact, these upgrades should they completed 7 in Java SE, but then Sun's acquisition by Oracle, delays in development, so in Java SE 7 does not include these upgrades), because this upgrade includes a far-reaching significance of the new language features: lambda expressions. Far-reaching impact lambda expression: not only changed the conceptualization of programming, but also changed the way to write Java code. Using lambda expressions, you can simplify and reduce the amount of source code that creates a desired structure. lambda expression helps to ensure that users expect Java to become dynamic and agile language. Starting JDK 8, the method defined by the interface can also specify the default implementation. In short, Java SE 8 of this major release extends the functionality of the Java language, and changed the way to write Java code, the impact of far-reaching enough, will be reflected in the next few years (note that the next few years later, while not current).
After Java SE 8, Oracle company also launched the Java SE 9 and Java SE 10 version is expected in September 2018 to launch Java SE 11. But Java SE 8 as a LTS version (long-term support version, there will be a three-year maintenance period until the next LTS release, in accordance with Oracle's current plans, the next LTS version is Java SE 11) is still the best choice, the Java SE 9, Java SE 10 as a function of the updated version, the maintenance cycle is only six months. It is not recommended that you use. And in Java SE 9 adds new features might for some reason in 10 or 11 in Java SE Java SE was removed, so I do not suggest that you learn the new features in the latest version, or to learn stable version as the main target.