In March 22, Oracle made Java 18 generally available. Users will be able to better their software development techniques with the new version. Many features from Java 17 were carried over to Java 18, which was delivered as a Long Term Support (LTS) version in September 2021. Java 18 is, on the other hand, not an LTS but an incremental update with only six months of support. It mostly consists of code library and tool upgrades. There are also previews for technologies that are currently in development.
Java is the most widely used programming language in the world. Developers have been continuously contributing to the advancement of this programming language since its inception three decades ago. JDK is updated on a regular basis and includes many useful features. Developers are always looking for ways to add something new to the language. Java 18 is the most recent version of the JDK family, and it comes with numerous impressive features. Let’s take a closer look at them for better project development.
What are the New Java 18 Features?
A collection of some of the most recent Java features, changes, and deprecations are mentioned below..
UTF-8 is the default
UTF-8 is a variable-width character encoding that is commonly used for electronic communication on the internet. Note that charset is a type of character encoding that can encode all of the characters found on the internet.
The platform’s default charset in Java 18 is now UTF-8. Java’s old default charset, which was determined by the host operating system and locale, has been replaced. The main reason for this change is that UTF-8 has become the world’s most extensively used charset, therefore making it an explicit choice in Java simplifies things significantly.
API for vectors
Java programmers can conduct vector computations with the new Vector API in Java 18. A vector is a collection of numbers that can be manipulated together as a single object. These vectors aid in numeric computations, particularly those involving many different values. The Vector API excels at making vector computations go faster. A vector computation is a set of vector operations. Vectors could be used in scientific computations or as part of machine learning systems, for example. The Vector API makes it possible to perform these calculations more rapidly and with less effort than before.
The following are the most important goals:
- Providing a ready-to-use static HTTP file server with the bare minimum of configuration.
- Developer activation energy has been reduced, and the JDK is now more accessible.
- A default command-line implementation is included, as well as a simple API.
Switch Pattern Matching
Pattern Matching for Switch was first released as a preview feature in JDK 17. This is the second time this feature has been previewed. It features small tweaks based on user input and experience from the first preview. It was first introduced with the AIM to improve the Java language programme by adding pattern matching for switch expressions and statements, as well as pattern language extensions.
The initial preview has been improved, with dominance checking requiring constant case labels to occur before a guarded pattern of the same type. It will make the text more readable. With sealed hierarchies, switch block exhaustivity checks will be more exact.
APIs for Foreign Functions and Memory
The Java Platform includes various libraries for accessing non-JVM systems. To connect to an RDBMS, for example, JDBC Drivers can be utilised. Sockets can also be used to activate online services (HTTP client), serve remote clients (NIO channels), and connect to local processes.
Many libraries in the Java Platform enable it to run on non-JVM computers. You can use JDBC drivers to connect to RDBMS databases, for example. You can also use web services and remote clients, as well as communicate with locally running processes.
Resolution of Internet-Address Java 18 with SPI
For hostname and address resolution, it will define a service-provider interface (SPI). So, there’s Java.net. Resolvers can be used by InetAddress. It won’t make the API use the system’s default resolver. InetAddress API includes several methods for lookup operations, such as getALLbyName for forwarding lookup and mapping hostname to a set of IP addresses, and getByName for mapping a hostname to only the first address.
Remove Finalization from the equation
Deprecate Finalization, which is still enabled by default but can now be disabled. It will make early testing easier. Furthermore, it will be turned off by default in future releases. Later, it will be permanently relocated. It will assist developers in comprehending the risks of finalisation. This upgrade will prepare developers for the loss of finalisation in future Java versions. It will also include basic tools for detecting finalisation dependency.
Method Handles should be used to reimplement Core Reflection
On top of java.lang.invoke method handles, this functionality offers reimplementation of java.lang.reflect.Method, Constructor, and Field. It will allow the method to handle reflection’s underlying mechanism. It will lower the costs of maintaining and developing the java.lang.reflect and java.long.invoke APIs.
Java Web Server 18 Simple Web Server
This feature will include a command-line utility for starting a basic web server that will only serve static files. There will be no CGI or servlet-like capabilities accessible. It’ll come in handy for prototyping, ad-hoc coding, and texting, especially in educational settings.
JDK 18 will include an out-of-the-box static HTTP file server with minimum functionality and easy setup. It will make JDK more user-friendly. It will provide a default command-line implementation as well as a modest API for programmatic development and customization.
Conclusion
There are some notable improvements and updates in Java 18 that benefit web application developers. For example, Java 18 introduces pattern matching for switches, external functions, and code snippets, allowing developers to create incredible apps. All of these characteristics make it an excellent alternative for application development and other customisation projects. Check our latest blogs to know more about the upcoming advancements.
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