Oracle unveils Java 23 with features to boost developer output

Oracle has announced the latest version of its programming language and development platform, Java 23.

This new release, referred to as Oracle JDK 23, promises an array of enhancements and features aimed at boosting developer productivity and driving innovation. The improvements are expected to enhance performance, stability, and security, aiding organisations in accelerating their business growth, the company states.

Arnal Dayaratna, Research Vice President for Software Development at IDC, highlighted the evolving nature of Java in meeting diverse application development needs. "Java continues to evolve to support organisations' increasingly diverse modern application development needs," Dayaratna said. "The new release enables developers to expand their toolset and increase their productivity, helping them build and deliver applications that leverage the power of groundbreaking technologies such as AI."

Georges Saab, Senior Vice President of Oracle Java Platform and Chair of the OpenJDK Governing Board, reinforced the utility of the new features in Java 23. "The new features in Java 23 help developers across all levels of expertise increase their productivity and streamline the development of high-performing, secure, and scalable applications," Saab stated. "With a wide range of new features and tools designed to help developers build and deliver applications faster and more efficiently, Java 23 helps development teams and their organisations boost innovation and drive increased business growth."

Among the language features in Java 23 is JEP 455, which pertains to the use of primitive types in patterns, `instanceof`, and `switch` statements. This preview feature is intended to make Java more expressive and uniform, enhancing productivity. Additionally, JEP 476 introduces Module Import Declarations, simplifying the process of importing packages exported by a module. This is expected to reduce complexity, especially for beginner programmers.

Java 23 also includes JEP 477, which simplifies Java programming for students by allowing implicitly declared classes and instance main methods. This feature, in its third preview, aims to offer an easier learning curve for new programmers and enables experienced developers to write succinct small programs. Another feature, JEP 482, provides flexible constructor bodies, allowing more expressive and reliable class construction.

In the libraries category, JEP 466 introduces a standard API for Java class files, while JEP 469 offers a new API for vector computations, aiding in performance enhancements. JEP 473 supports custom intermediate operations in Stream APIs, allowing for more flexible data transformation. For concurrent programming, JEP 480 provides structured concurrency, aiming to simplify and improve multithreaded code reliability. Additionally, JEP 481 facilitates sharing immutable data across threads with Scoped Values.

On the performance front, JEP 474 introduces a generational mode by default for the Z Garbage Collector, which aims to reduce resources and maintenance costs. Tool improvements include JEP 467, allowing Javadoc comments to be written in Markdown, enhancing readability and efficiency in documentation.

The features in this release result from collaboration between Oracle and the global Java developer community through OpenJDK and the Java Community Process (JCP). Java 23 is also supported by the recent general availability of Java Management Service 9.0, a native service on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). This platform provides tools for managing Java runtimes and applications across different environments.

Supporting the global Java community, Oracle has reiterated its commitment to delivering performance and innovation through its cloud services. By offering Oracle Java SE and Oracle GraalVM on OCI at no additional charge, Oracle aims to help developers build and deploy efficient applications.

Oracle has also announced the return of JavaOne, the flagship event for the global Java community. Scheduled to take place in Redwood Shores, California, in 2025, the event will offer insights into the latest Java developments and opportunities for interaction with Java experts and industry leaders.