Oracle announces first release candidate of Java and JDK 21 with 15 new features

Oracle has recently announced the first release candidate of Java and JDK 21, introducing 15 finalized features. These include virtual threads, a generational Z garbage collector, and a key encapsulation mechanism API. The Java Development Kit (JDK) 21 is currently in Rampdown Phase Two, indicating that the overall feature set is now frozen and no further Java Enhancement Proposals (JEPs) will be targeted to this release.

The next long-term support (LTS) release of Oracle’s standard Java implementation, JDK 21, is scheduled for September 19. Early-access binaries under the GPL can be found at jdk.java.net. Oracle has a consistent schedule of releasing new versions of standard Java every six months, with JDK 20 being the most recent release on March 21.

JDK 21, as an LTS release, will receive five years of premier support from Oracle. Furthermore, extended support will be provided until September 2031.