Why JVK9 Will Rule Java Application Development Ever since its release Java Development Kit (JDK) has been the most widely used Java platform. Released by the Oracle Corporation JDK is one of the most comprehensive Java application development platform. With the impending release of Standard Edition 9 (JDK 9) kit this year, Oracle is now gearing up to take it one step further.
JDK has always had a wide applicability across different OS, including MacOS, Windows, Solaris and Linux. It is used for any one of the Java platforms — Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition or Micro Edition. JDK 9, its latest version, comes with all its benefits, while addicting a few extras! In fact, Oracle is calling it a ‘major release’. They have good reason! JDK 8 was a pretty good tool and many organisations are still pretty content to stick to what they have been working on. But as with every new release, we anticipate that people would soon be moving to the new avatar few months after Oracle comes up with JVK9’s general release. Here’s why you should think of moving to JDK9 : The module system The most defining feature of the JVK9 is its module system. It now has a modular JVM which can run on devices with lesser memory space. Oracle is making this part of the Jigsaw Project, adding on Modular JDK, Modular Run-time Images, Modular Java Source Code, Java Platform Module System and Encapsulate Java Internal APIs. The new system has worked hard at removing the shortcomings of the earlier version, Monolithic Jars. The earlier versions had a brittle class path. The new modular system ensures a stronger structure and secure structure with clear enforcement procedure and encapsulation of internal classes. Not only does it make the application secure, it also enables evolution by making the process easier. Java 9 REPL (JShell) This command line tool is designed as an interactive feature with native support and it gives us a way into REPL (Read-Eval-Print-Loop). The API and tool can evaluate the expressions in the language, declarations, and statements. It also has an evolving code with execution. The interactive tool will have tab-completion, editing, configurable predefined imports, definitions and automatic addition of needed terminal semicolons.