Table of contents
1.
Introduction
2.
306: Restore Always-Strict Floating-Point Semantics
3.
356: Enhanced Pseudo-Random Number Generators
4.
382: New macOS Rendering Pipeline
5.
391: macOS/AArch64 Port
6.
398: Deprecate the Applet API for Removal
7.
403: Strongly Encapsulate JDK Internals
8.
406: Pattern Matching for the switch (Preview)
9.
407: Remove RMI Activation
10.
409: Sealed Classes
11.
410: Remove the Experimental AOT and JIT Compiler
12.
411: Deprecate the Security Manager for Removal
13.
412: Foreign Function & Memory API (Incubator)
14.
414: Vector API (Second Incubator)
15.
415: Context-Specific Deserialization Filters
16.
Installation of JDK 17
17.
Frequently Asked Questions
17.1.
What are the advantages of Java 17?
17.2.
Is Java 17 different from Java 11?
17.3.
What is removed in Java 17?
17.4.
Is Java 17 more efficient?
17.5.
What are some features of Java 17?
17.6.
When was JDK 17 released?
18.
Conclusion
Last Updated: Aug 13, 2024
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New Features in Java 17

Author Ayushi Poddar
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Introduction

Java 17, released as a Long-Term Support (LTS) version in September 2021, brought alot of significant new features and enhancements that aim to improve developer productivity, performance, and security. This release continues the tradition of Java's biannual feature updates, but being an LTS version, it will receive extended support, making it a stable and reliable choice for enterprises.

New Features in java 17

There are some significant updates in this version to reduce the workflow for developers. Following are described some of the new features that JAVA 17 has in store for the developers :

306: Restore Always-Strict Floating-Point Semantics

This feature makes the floating-point operations strict, and this has been made consistent throughout. This has replaced the format where both the strict floating-point semantics and subtly different default floating-point semantics were present. This feature further restores the original semantics to both the language and the virtual machine. 

356: Enhanced Pseudo-Random Number Generators

This feature provides users with brand new interface types. They bring along pseudorandom number generators. These include PRNG that is jumpable and a whole class of PRNG algorithms.

382: New macOS Rendering Pipeline

This feature enables the implementation of a Java internal rendering Pipeline in 2D specific to macOS. This uses an API named Apple Metal. This serves as an alternative to the already existing pipeline. The already existing pipeline uses an API called Apple OpenGL.

391: macOS/AArch64 Port

This feature enables the porting of JDK to macOS/AArch64

398: Deprecate the Applet API for Removal

This is a measure to go along with all the browsing vendors since the existing browsing vendors have removed any support for the plugins of the Java browser or have announced to do the same in the future. 

403: Strongly Encapsulate JDK Internals

This feature encapsulates all internal elements leaving some APIs alone. Due to this, the users will no longer be allowed to ease the strong encapsulation of internal elements.

406: Pattern Matching for the switch (Preview)

This feature helps to enhance Java language with things such as pattern matching that would be specific to switch expressions and statements. This would include extensions to the language.

407: Remove RMI Activation

This feature removes the RMI Activation mechanism. RMI stands for Remote Method Invocation. While removing the RMI activation mechanism, the rest is preserved.

409: Sealed Classes

This feature enhances Java as a language. This feature adds sealed classes and interfaces. They restrict which other classes and interfaces might implement or extend.

410: Remove the Experimental AOT and JIT Compiler

This feature removes the Experimental AOT and JIT Compiler, which stands for ahead-of-time and JIT stands for just-in-time. The compiler in question has been used a lot less than was expected since it was introduced. To avoid the effort that goes into maintaining such a compiler, it’s been removed. However, the developers can continue to use the externally built versions to do the same.

411: Deprecate the Security Manager for Removal

The Security Manager is being deprecated to go under removal in releases of the future. This dates back to Java version 1.0.  This Security manager has not been used for many years, and now it is rarely used to secure any server-side code.

412: Foreign Function & Memory API (Incubator)

The main use of this feature is to introduce an API that will be used by Java programs through which one can interoperate between the code and the data outside of Java runtime. With the help of the API, java programs can call the native libraries and work on the data without any danger or brittleness.

414: Vector API (Second Incubator)

This feature hereby introduces another API that helps to express computations in vectors. These computations compile at run-time over optimal vector instructions using supported CPU architectures as platforms. This helps to achieve superior performance to comparable computations in a scalar.

415: Context-Specific Deserialization Filters

This feature allows applications to construct context-specific and selected deserialization filters which would be enabled through a JVM-wide filter factory.

Installation of JDK 17

Let us discuss the steps to install the latest version of JDK.
Step 1: Go to Oracle website.

Step 2: As per your operating system, download the version required for example, in exe for Windows, .debian fo Linux , .dmg for macOS.Then install the file and run in your local machine bu choosing the directory.

Step 3: Set the path for the system environment variable and in order to check whether this new JDK is installed or not, verify via terminal by entering the below commands.

javac --version
java --version

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the advantages of Java 17?

Java 17 offers enhanced performance, strong encapsulation, modern features like sealed classes, and long-term support, making it ideal for enterprise applications.

Is Java 17 different from Java 11?

Yes, Java 17 introduces new features like sealed classes and pattern matching, removes deprecated components, and includes performance and security enhancements over Java 11.

What is removed in Java 17?

Java 17 removes the Applet API, experimental AOT and JIT compilers, and other deprecated features to simplify and streamline the platform.

Is Java 17 more efficient?

Yes, Java 17 is more efficient with improved performance optimizations, updated garbage collection, and better memory management, leading to faster and more reliable applications.

What are some features of Java 17?

306: Restore Always-Strict Floating-Point Semantics 

356: Enhanced pseudo-Random Number Generators

382: New macOS Rendering pipelines

391: macOS/AArch64 Port

398: Deprecate the Applet API for Removal

403: Strongly Encapsulated JDK Internals

406: Pattern matching for Switch(Preview)

407: Removal RMI Activation

409: Sealed Classes 

410: Removal Experimental AOT and JIT Compiler 

411: Deprecate the Security manager for Removal 

412: Foreign Functions & memory API(Incubator)

414: Vector API(Second Incubator)

415: Context-Specific Deserialization Filters 

When was JDK 17 released?

JDK 17 was released on 14 September 2021. All the features and the schedules of the release were amended by JEP 2.0 proposal.

Conclusion

In this article, we have extensively discussed the following things:

  1. What is Java Development Kit?
  2. What are the new features of Java 17?

We hope that this blog has helped you enhance your knowledge regarding Polymorphism in the GO language and if you would like to learn more, check out our articles here. Do upvote our blog to help other ninjas grow. Happy Coding!

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