Java is not free anymore

I update my JRE 8 today evening and got this message from oracle.

For years, oracle is the JDK/JRE I have been using for developing and deploying my programs.

JDK 11 is here and It's not free

Ever since Oracle purchased Java from Sun, experts in the industry were predicting that sooner or later, Oracle will not keep Java free. But they did for years.

If you go on JDK 11 Download page, oracle presents you with this message.

However, Oracle is offering the GPL version of the JDK 11 on jdk.java.net/11

JavaFX

Oracle is also decoupling JavaFX from Java in Java 11. I found it hard to find the javafx site. Now the official site for javafx is openjfx.io. If you click on the download link, it takes you to GluonHQ, where the new JavaFX Runtime is hosted. The company that is popular for making the SceneBuilder. https://gluonhq.com/products/javafx/

So, you need to include the runtime in your javac and java command to build and run the javafx app. https://stackoverflow.com/a/50833941/1097600 It is also available as a maven dependency.

Java Web Start

Java web start came from the applet world. And I really didn't see the adoption of JWS. Most softwares rolled out their own updaters. For me, JWS had following benefits.

1. Don't need to bundle JRE with your application
2. Just give a small .jnlp file to download and launch your application.
3. Users can't reverse engineer your java application since its run inside JVM
4. Auto update your application if application updated on the server.

But didn't see anyone using it. People mostly preferred to bundle the app with JRE. Also JWS launched with security errors if the jar wasn't signed.

So oracle is finally dropping support for JWS in Java 11.

Last Updated: Oct 27, 2018

Update 2020

If you download Java desktop, now the site informs the users to use the software for personal or development use. For production use on desktops the following licenses are required.