What is the difference between Java 1.8 and 8?

Posted by Akshay Sharma on September 29th, 2023

Developed in 1995, Java is a high-level programming language. It is widely popular for Android applications. Java is used to write even the Android operating system. 

Because of its straightforward, clean, and simple syntax, developers frequently use it. Over the year, it has launched several versions. This article will delve into the Java 8 features along with a comparative study of Java 1.8 and Java 8.

Java 1.8 is equivalent to Java 8, where 1.8 is the version string, and 8 is the version number. 

The following are a few instances of how to use the version string: java -version (among other information, returns java version “1.8.0”):

java -fullversion (returns java full version “1.8.0-bxx”)

javac -source 1.8 (is an alias for javac -source 8)

java.version system property

java.vm.version system property

@since 1.8 tag values

jdk1.8.0 installation directory

jre8 installation directory

The version strings in JDK 8 and JRE 8 are 1.8 and 1.8.0. The reason is not explained. However, one can assume that this is how Java's creators indicated the versions. 

It may be because calling it Java 8 suggests that it is brand-new and significantly superior to Java 7, while preserving the version bump from 1.7 to 1.8 suggests that it is still version 1. x and hence remains backward compatible. 

What is JDK?

A Java Development Kit (JDK) is required to build Java applications, one of the Java 8 features. It includes tools that let you create and run Java programs.

A compiler (javac) is one of these development tools that transforms Java source code (.java files) into Java bytecode (.class files). Additional utilities include an archiver (jar) and a documentation creator (Javadoc). You can also take the help of an online Java compiler.

A Java Runtime Environment (JRE) that can execute Java code compilation is also included in the JDK. To accomplish this, the JRE uses Java libraries and a Java Virtual Machine (JVM), which runs Java code that has been compiled.

What is Java 8?

The introduction of Java 8 by Oracle marked a turning point for the world's most widely used programming platform. The Java programming paradigm was significantly improved, and the JVM, Java language, and libraries were all changed in unison. 

This upgrade added many new features, such as improved system speed overall, increased productivity and security, and improved ease of use.

A complete Java 8 features list may be found on the Oracle website. Here, we are focusing on two key feature sets:

Programming Language Java 8 Features: Lambdas etc.

Before Java 8, you had to create an anonymous inner class by writing something like this to instantiate, for instance, a new Runnable:

Runnable runnable = new Runnable(){

       @Override

       public void run(){

         System.out.println("Hello world !");

       }

     };

With lambdas, the same code looks like this:

Runnable runnable = () -> System.out.println("Hello world two!");

As part of the Stream API in Java 8, collections now include functional-style operations. For instance,

List list = Arrays.asList("franz", "ferdinand", "fiel", "vom", "pferd");

Now pre-Java 8, you had to write for-loops to do something with that list.

With the Streams API, you can do the following:

list.stream()

    .filter(name -> name.startsWith("f"))

    .map(String::toUpperCase)

    .sorted()

    .forEach(System.out::println);

The Reason Behind the Popularity of Java 1.8 or 8?

One of the key factors contributing to Java 8's sustained popularity is the fact that it is an LTS (Long-Term Support) version. Unfortunately, not all Java releases are LTS releases. 

Since the policy's implementation, only Java 8 (2014) and Java 11 (2018) have been acknowledged as having LTS, which is one of the vital Java 8 features. 

All upcoming releases, such as Java 14 and the expected Java 15 (scheduled for September 2020), will not be LTS-reliant. 

From a business perspective, no corporation should consider putting a system that depends on a Java version without LTS into production.

The official JDK (Java Development Kit) from Oracle has a rival called OpenJDK. OpenJDK is the moniker for Oracle's open-source JDK. 

Due to historical differences between the Oracle JDK and the OpenJDK as well as variations in support policy (the OpenJDK only supports updates to the most recent release), some organizations have been hesitant to use the OpenJDK or have been confused between the two versions (not least due to the very similar names). 

Further OpenJDK variations like Amazon Corretto and AdoptOpenJDK may increase the misunderstanding.

Commercial businesses generally favored stability over change before Java 9, and Java changed very infrequently. There was a three-year lag between Java 7's and Java 8's releases. 

The rate of change has accelerated since Java 9, with new versions now being issued every six months (often in March and September). We will have advanced from Java 9 to Java 15 in three years. 

Each update introduces new features, retires (or removes) outdated ones, and frequently alters how applications behave. 

Due to the possibility of introducing new technology problems every six months, this may make businesses reluctant to adopt newer versions.

What are the Features of Java 8?

Oracle shifted away from the Binary code license in Java version 8. The GNU General Public License version 2 governs the use of this JDK version. 

It grants Oracle technology and services a business license called the Oracle Technology Network License Agreement (ONTLA). With extensive modifications also come some critical changes in Java 8. We'll look at a few of them now.

• It permits adding methods to interfaces using Lambda expressions without affecting the current implementations.

• The acceptance of lambda expressions on a stream of elements, such as MapReduce, enables functional style operations.

• Time concepts, including time, date, time zone, and instant time, are supported by its Date and Time API. Additionally, it defines a Java platform calendar API.

• The Nashorn JavaScript Engine implementation is added to the JDK. With the help of the new command-line tool, or the javax.script API, it is now accessible on all Java programs.

• It uses unsigned integer-specific arithmetic.

• Command line launchers that facilitate the launch of JavaFX applications can be improved with Java 8.

• The Applet Viewer utility is compatible with Java version 8.

• Pattern recognition is not supported by Java 8 at all.

• Files. Lines () and Files Write () and Write () are two Java 8 methods that allow you to retrieve the contents of a file and write text to a file, respectively.

• The JMC and JavaFX tools are part of the Oracle JDK for Java 8.