Oracle JDK Service Lifecycle (End of Life)

Last updated on November 9, 2023

The Java Development Kit (JDK) is a software development environment meant for developers, for developing applications in Java. It includes both the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

JDK can be downloaded and installed on multiple platforms including Windows, Linux, and macOS, which is why the developers can create complex applications in Java for all of these platforms.

Oracle JDK is a closed-source software that now requires a license for commercial use. In 2017, Oracle announced free Java licensing. However, in 2023, they reiterated their pricing models and may now incur a cost to the commercial users of JDK.

Support status guide

End of life (EOL) is the end of a product’s useful life. When a product reaches the end of its life cycle, the manufacturer no longer supports it. The following table explains the different phases of a product’s lifecycle. Testing status is when the product is initially released and EOL is when product support is no longer offered. The time between these two points is the support timeframe.

Testing

The software is not yet publicly available. It is in testing phase i.e., alpha, beta, release preview etc.

Active

The software is actively supported by the vendor.

Phasing Out

The software will soon reach its end of life. You need to look for upgrade or migration options. The software will automatically go into phasing out status 2 months before end of life.

End Of Life

The software is no longer supported by the vendor. You need to make sure your system and environment are safe.

Version

Released

Active Support

Extended Support

The Oracle JDK follows a 6-month rapid-release release cycle. This means that every 6 months, a newer major version of JDK is published. Since it is released so often, the active support, or the “Premier support” for each version lasts only 6 months as well, unless it is a Long Term Servicing (LTS) release. No other support is offered for these regular releases.

Before Oracle JDK 17, the LTS releases had no specific schedule. Now, Oracle follows a schedule of 2-yearly LTS release. That said, LTS releases have a Premier support duration of 5 years, an additional 3 years of extended support, and then an indefinite period of “Sustaining support” in which Oracle provides assistance, but no bug or security fixes.

Here are the brief details of what each type of support offers:

  • Premier support: Includes bug and security fixes, as well as minor improvements. 6 months for regular releases, 5 years for LTS releases.
  • Extended support: Applies only to the LTS releases, for 3 years after the expiration of the Premier support. It includes bug and security fixes, as well as minor improvements.
  • Sustaining support: This applies to the LTS releases for an indefinite time. Users only receive assistance from Oracle; no bug or security fixes are offered.