Java 26 Released: Performance & Runtime Improvements

One thing I like about Java is that the biggest progress is often not dramatic enough for social media. There is no single “magic” feature between Java 21 and 25 that changes everything overnight. What you get instead is something more valuable: a better platform. Between Java 21 and 25, Java added: ✅ Scoped Values, ✅ Structured Concurrency, ✅ Foreign Function & Memory API, ✅ Stream Gatherers, ✅ Class-File API, ✅ Compact Object Headers, ✅ Generational Shenandoah, ✅ more startup and profiling work, ✅ better JFR, ✅ and... cleaner syntax with unnamed variables and patterns, module import declarations, and more flexible constructor bodies. That is why I liked Frank Delporte’s video on the move from Java 21 to 25. It looks at Java the way real teams should look at it: not as isolated release notes, but as accumulated engineering progress between LTS versions. Too many people ignore the non-LTS releases and then act surprised when the next LTS contains a lot of change. Worth watching if you want a practical summary without drowning in JEP numbers. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dnqmDUnj Are you on Java 25 yet?

Thanks, Daniel Witkowski, for sharing this episode of the Friends of OpenJDK (Foojay.io) podcast about the changes between Java 21 and 25. And to Jakob Jenkov, Jonathan Vila López, Ryan Svihla, Mary Grygleski, 👓 Anton Arhipov, Ronald Dehuysser, and Jonathan Ellis, who took the time to share their point of view!

Most teams today are running on Java 17 (LTS) — and for good reason. It’s stable, well-supported, and widely adopted across enterprise systems. But with Java 26 (March 2026) now available, it’s clear where the platform is heading. This isn’t about flashy new syntax. The shift is more subtle — and more important. Java 17 gave us better language design. Java 26 is focused on better system performance. ⸻ What’s new or evolving in Java 26? • Improved Garbage Collection (G1) for better latency and throughput • Early support for HTTP/3, enabling faster and more efficient network communication • Enhancements around AOT (Ahead-of-Time) optimizations, helping reduce startup time • Continued evolution of Vector API and concurrency features, supporting high-performance workloads • Stronger enforcement of code integrity and security constraints ⸻ What does this mean in practice? If you are building large-scale backend systems or microservices: • Startup time and memory efficiency are becoming more critical • Network performance (especially in distributed systems) is gaining importance • Applications are expected to handle more parallel workloads efficiently Java 26 is clearly moving in that direction. ⸻ A realistic perspective Most organizations will continue using Java 17 for production — because it’s LTS and stable. But engineers who start understanding newer Java versions early will be better prepared for: • Performance-focused system design • Modern runtime optimizations • AI and compute-heavy workloads ⸻ My takeaway The conversation is shifting from: “How do we write better code?” to “How does our system perform at scale?” ⸻ Curious to know — Are you still primarily working on Java 17, or have you started exploring newer versions? https://lnkd.in/gv2H-6Rh #java26 #java #softwareengineer

🔥 Sealed Classes in Java are more than just a new keyword 🧠 They help you design systems that are predictable and easier to maintain. Instead of allowing uncontrolled inheritance, you define exactly which classes are allowed. 💪 This becomes especially powerful when combined with: 👉 Records 👉 Pattern Matching 🌍 Real-world use cases include 👉 Payment systems 👉 Order state management 👉 API response handling If you're working with Java 17+, this is a feature worth adopting https://lnkd.in/dKrFATCp 🚀 Have you used sealed classes in your projects? 🚀 #Java #SpringBoot #Backend #Java17 #CleanCode #SoftwareDesign

🚀 Day 1 – Strengthening Java Fundamentals Starting with something simple but powerful: How Java Works Behind the Scenes When we write a Java program, it doesn’t directly run on the machine. Instead: 👉 Java code → compiled into Bytecode 👉 Bytecode → executed by the JVM (Java Virtual Machine) Why this matters? Because this is what makes Java platform independent — “Write Once, Run Anywhere.” Also, JVM doesn’t just run code — it handles: ✔ Memory Management (Garbage Collection) ✔ Security ✔ Performance optimization Understanding this foundation helps in writing better, optimized applications—especially when working with frameworks like Spring Boot. #Java #BackendDevelopment #LearningInPublic #JVM #SoftwareEngineering

𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗮𝘃𝗮: Key Features Across Versions 🔹 Java 8 (2014) – LTS A revolutionary release that introduced Lambda Expressions and the Streams API, enabling functional-style programming in Java. Added Optional to reduce null-related errors, a modern Date-Time API, and default & static methods in interfaces for better flexibility. 🔹 Java 11 (2018) – LTS Focused on long-term stability and performance. Introduced a modern HttpClient API, var in lambda parameters, and new String utility methods like isBlank(), lines(). Also removed outdated modules (like Java EE), making the JDK more lightweight. 🔹 Java 15 (2020) Improved developer productivity with Text Blocks for cleaner multi-line strings. Introduced Sealed Classes (preview) to better control class hierarchies and Hidden Classes for frameworks. Enhanced Z Garbage Collector (ZGC) for low-latency applications. 🔹 Java 17 (2021) – LTS A major LTS release bringing Sealed Classes to standard, Pattern Matching for instanceof, and improved switch expressions (preview). Also enhanced security, performance, and long-term maintainability for enterprise systems. 🔹 Java 21 (2023) – LTS One of the most impactful releases with Virtual Threads (Project Loom), enabling scalable and lightweight concurrency. Added Record Patterns and Pattern Matching for switch, along with Sequenced Collections for more consistent data structures. 🔹 Java 25 (2025) – LTS Continues to evolve with refinements in concurrency, pattern matching, and performance optimizations. Focuses on improving developer experience, scalability, and modern application needs, building on features like virtual threads and structured concurrency. #Java #JavaDeveloper #Programming #SoftwareDevelopment #Coding #BackendDevelopment #LearnToCode

I've just released v1.0.0 of a new OSS library called ClearConfig for #Java. There's also a #Scala version available, (link at the bottom of the Java README). This humble little library has given me much joy and eased much frustration over the years. https://lnkd.in/dJ6izGwa

🚀 Java has come a LONG way. From writing anonymous classes in Java 7 to spinning up millions of Virtual Threads in Java 21 — the evolution is staggering. Here's a quick timeline of what changed everything 👇 ☕ Java 8 (2014) — The revolution begins → Lambda expressions, Streams API, Functional interfaces → Java finally felt modern 📦 Java 9 (2017) — Modularity arrives → JPMS module system, JShell REPL → Large apps became more maintainable 🔤 Java 10 (2018) — Less boilerplate → var keyword — type inference is here → Shorter, cleaner code 🌐 Java 11 LTS (2018) — Production-ready upgrade → HTTP Client API, String improvements → Most teams still run this today 🔀 Java 14 (2020) — Expressions get powerful → Switch expressions, Records (preview) → Pattern matching begins 🔒 Java 17 LTS (2021) — Safety + elegance → Sealed classes, full Pattern matching → The most stable LTS after Java 11 ⚡ Java 21 LTS (2023) — Game changer → Virtual Threads (Project Loom) → Millions of concurrent threads, zero headaches → Record patterns, Structured Concurrency → This is the LTS to upgrade to RIGHT NOW 🔮 Java 22–26 (2024–2025) — The future → String Templates, Scoped Values → Value Objects, Performance improvements → Java keeps getting better every 6 months Which Java version is your team running in production? Drop it in the comments 👇 #Java #SpringBoot #SoftwareEngineering #BackendDevelopment #JavaDeveloper #TechCareers #CleanCode #Microservices #ProjectLoom #100DaysOfCode

🚀 Java has evolved massively — are you keeping up? From Lambda Expressions in Java 8 to Virtual Threads in Java 21, every LTS release has brought game-changing features that make us write better, cleaner, and faster code. Here's a quick snapshot of the Key Features across the last 4 LTS Releases 👇 ☕ Java 8 — The revolution began. Lambdas, Stream API, and java.time changed how we think about Java forever. ☕ Java 11 — Standard HTTP Client finally arrived. No more third-party libraries for basic HTTP calls. ☕ Java 17 — Records, Sealed Classes, and Pattern Matching made Java feel modern and expressive. ☕ Java 21 — Virtual Threads are a game-changer for high-concurrency apps. Project Loom is here! 🔥 ☕ Java 22 — Unnamed Variables, Streams for Primitives, and Statements before super() — Java keeps getting cleaner. Whether you're still on Java 8 or already running Java 21 in production — understanding these milestones makes you a stronger developer. 💪 💬 Which Java version are you currently using at work? Drop it in the comments! 👇 #Java #JavaDeveloper #SoftwareEngineering #BackendDevelopment #Java21 #Java17 #Programming #100DaysOfCode #TechCommunity #SpringBoot