FirstSpirit and Java
Overview of supported Java versions
2024
Version series | 2/1/2024 |
|---|---|
17 | 17.0.10 |
21 | 21.0.2 |
2023
Version series | 11/3/2023 |
|---|---|
17 | 17.0.9 |
21 | 21+35 |
2022
Version series | 07/22/2022 |
|---|---|
11 | |
17 | 17.0.3 |
2021
Version series | 01/19/2021 | 03/16/2021 | 04/20/2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
11 | 11.0.10 | 11.0.11 | |
15 | 15.0.2 | ||
16 | 16 | 16.0.1 | |
2020
Version series | 01/14/2020 | 03/17/2020 | 04/14/2020 | 07/14/2020 | 09/15/2020 | 10/20/2020 | 11/04/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 | 8u241 | ||||||
11 | 11.0.6 | 11.0.7 | 11.0.8 | 11.0.9 | 11.0.9.1 (OpenJDK) | ||
13 | 13.0.2 | ||||||
14 | 14 | 14.0.1 | 14.0.2 | ||||
15 | 15 | 15.0.1 | |||||
2019
Version series | 01/15/2019 | 03/19/2019 | 04/16/2019 | 07/16/2019 | 09/17/2019 | 10/15/2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 | 8u201 / | 8u211 / | 8u221 | 8u232 | ||
11 | 11.0.2 | 11.0.3 | 11.0.4 | 11.0.5 | ||
12 | 12 | 12.0.1 | 12.0.2 | |||
13 | 13 | 13.0.1 | ||||
2018
Version series | 01/16/2018 | 03/20/2018 | 04/17/2018 | 07/17/2018 | 09/25/2018 | 10/16/2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 | 8u161 / | 8u171 / | 8u181 | 8u191 / | ||
9 | 9.0.4 | |||||
10 | 10 | 10.0.1 | 10.0.2 | |||
11 | 11 | 11.0.1 | ||||
See also https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/index.html.
In addition to the number of releases, the release of version 11 also entails major cutbacks in the scope of functions: As of this version, Oracle will no longer be creating separate Java Runtime Environment versions and Java Web Start is no longer included.
This presents significant challenges for all users and providers.
In addition to the FirstSpirit Launcher, the versions from version series 8 to 11 have been tested for the FirstSpirit Server and also for starting Java-based applications via Java Web Start, adjustments have been made, third-party applications have been replaced, and versions have been released for use.
As described in the Introduction, the frequency and number of versions will not change in the foreseeable future.
Providers and users now need to address the following questions:
- Should the free version be used for live use?
- After six months of Oracle support for the free version, is it better to change to another provider or to the next major version?
- Does it make sense to commit to one provider (for a fee or free of charge)?
Crownpeak also had to address these questions with regard to Java support for FirstSpirit.
Some decisions were made while working on the Java 11 support and can be found in the next section.
FirstSpirit Java roadmap
According to the current Java release strategy of the various providers, it still seems to be possible to supply a Java version for the FirstSpirit Launcher with the FirstSpirit Server. As long as it is possible for Crownpeak to provide a Java version, it will include exactly one version for Windows and macOS with the FirstSpirit Server.
Up to now, the Java version has been supplied as a JRE variant. Oracle does not generate JREs anymore since Java 11. There are only few OpenJDK distributors (e.g. Temurin / AdoptOpenJDK) that also generate JREs for newer Java versions. As a result, it seems possible to continue to supply JREs here as well. This is important because JDKs are usually five times larger than JREs.
Crownpeak will continue to pursue the strategy of becoming increasingly independent of Oracle Java. It is therefore unclear whether – and in what form – Crownpeak can support the commercial Oracle Java variant in the future.
In the case of the OpenJDK variants, Crownpeak will use binary variants for trials and tests. This means that Crownpeak does not plan to generate binary Java versions from the OpenJDK source text. Since Oracle OpenJDK binary variants of a Java version are only created for six months, further maintenance and creation beyond this period must be carried out by another provider.
To avoid the aforementioned change of provider, Crownpeak relies on the distributor “Adoptium” / “AdoptOpenJDK” for testing and testing all Java versions. This is why the Java versions supplied for the FirstSpirit Launcher will in future also only be supplied by this distributor.
The current plan is that with the FirstSpirit server the latest LTS variant of OpenJDK from the distributor Adoptium / AdoptOpenJDK will always be supplied for the FirstSpirit Launcher.