Java 9: All you need to know about the features and release date

The upcoming Java Development Kit – JDK 9 will be packed with amazing new features, including modularization, a read-eval-print, ahead of time compilation, and a memory-saving enhancement.

But when will it be released, finally?

Scroll down to know more about the release date and features of Java 9.

21st of September 2017

D-day for the launch of Java 9 all around the world.

Finally.

The moment every die-hard Java developer is waiting for.

Mark Reinhold, the Chief Architect at the Java Platform Group cited “additional time was needed to move through the JCP process”.

The reason behind the various release delays includes multiple setbacks and hitches. Mainly because of problems with modularization effort which was left out on the predecessor Java 8. It was three years ago, so now a modular Java is a feature in Java 9.

Oracle has offered availability for Java enthusiasts, wanting to test and download the new platform.

New Features Of Java 9 And How Will It Be Different?

We all have been waiting a long time for the Java 9 anxiously. So, there are a lot of new features, probably to make up for the pushed back in release date.

It will include almost 90 features for the following:

• Developer Convenience
• Modularity
• Diagnostics
• Strings
• JVM options
• Javadoc
• Logging
• Native Platform
• JavaScript/HTTP
• JavaFX
• Unicode
• Images
• Miscellaneous

The major development is its modularity which will make the Java 9 more scalable while enhancing its placements on smaller devices.
The modularization was supposed to be a part of Java 8 but pushed to Java 9. Perhaps, it is because of significant changes the way Java has been operating since Java 1.0.

Java 9 developers will find the old Http URL Connection is lastly being replaced with a new HTTP client. It will offer superior support and improvements for both Web Socket handshake and HTTP/2 protocol.

Moreover, it will feature ‘jShell’ a tool that will provide read-eval-print loop functionality which will allow developers to evaluate expressions and statements along with an API. It means that other applications will be able to use these capabilities also.

If we talk about security, Java will witness a new description string scheme. It should make differentiating between security updates and major or minor updates a lot more easier than ever.

API Updates

In recent times, there has been a shortage of capabilities for controlling the efficient system processes for Java.

For instance, if a user wants to do something as simple as finding your process PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) today then they would have to access code or use a workaround. It will also need a separate implementation for the platforms to ensure that they are receiving the right result.

Now, JAVA 9 IS coming with some enhancements in API process. They have added a couple of news methods and classes to ease the managing and controlling of OS processes.

New Interface In API Process

• java.lang.ProcessHandle.Info
• java.lang.ProcessHandle

Multi-Resolution Image API

Oracle will introduce a new Multi-resolution Image API for Java 9. The major interface feature in this API is ‘Multi Resolution Image, ’ and it is available in java.awt.image package.

Reactive Streams

Presently, the Reactive Programming is common in developing applications to have some excessive benefits. The likes of Akka, Play, and Scala frameworks have combined the Reactive Streams.

Oracle is also introducing new Reactive Streams API in the upcoming Java 9. So, these Reactive Streams APIs are the Subscribe or Publish Framework to implement Parallel, Scalable, and Asynchronous applications easily by using Java language.

Private Ways In Interfaces

Java 9 helps users to create more reusability and avoid redundant code by presenting special techniques in Java interfaces. Beyond Java 9, users have the knack to write private static methods too, in the interface using ‘private’ keyword.

Micro Benchmarks Are Here

The Java Benchmarking Harness – JMH is pushing forward the next level in its development. Now, it is joining with Oracle’s Java as an accepted benchmarking solution. JMH is a Java harness for running, evaluating, and creating the macro, milli, micro, and nano benchmarks.

There are also factors to look such as optimizations and warm up times that could potentially have a significant impact on the outcome.
If you are after a perfect result, then JHM is the ideal choice to assist you in achieving the correct verdict after your benchmarks. Now it is officially becoming a substitute with Java 9.

Wrapping It Up

The release of Java 9 will have many other features including a Read-Eval-Print Loop – REPL, JShell for Java.

Developers will be able to evaluate code snippets (expressions, statements, declarations). So the code could be tested as it is created.

There are many things to come, as it stands we have got much more to look forward when Oracle officially release Java 9 on 21st of September 2017.

Let the final countdown begin…