This article is more than 1 year old

Like a version? JDK 9 will point out its own flaws the very first time

'MAJOR.MINOR.SECURITY' format will sort the wheat from the OMG PATCH THIS NOW

Version 9 of the Java JDK will adopt a new numbering scheme that tells you which patches you can ignore and which will demand your attention, stat.

Oracle describes the new scheme as a “MAJOR.MINOR.SECURITY” regime.

Java 9 will therefore be Java 9. If the next update addresses a security issue, it'll be Java 9.0.1.

If the version after that was a non-security update, it would be 9.1.1. The next bug squashed in the 9.1 series would earn itself 9.1.2.

Here's how that works out in the long run. El Reg notes that in the Oracle nomenclature, "CPU" doesn't stand for "central processing unit", but "critical patch update".

 9  GA
 9.0.1  CPU: 9 + critical changes
 9.1.1  Minor release: 9.0.1 + other changes
 9.1.2  CPU: 9.1.1 + critical changes
 9.2.2  Minor release: 9.1.2 + other changes
 9.2.3  CPU: 9.2.2 + critical changes
 9.2.4  CPU: 9.2.3 + critical changes
 9.3.4  Minor release: 9.2.4 + other changes

Why does this matter? Java infamously gets patched rather a lot. Security patches obviously demand your attention. Minor updates? Not so much. A clearer numbering scheme therefore offers useful information to Java users.

You can see the new numbering scheme in action at jdk9.java.net/

Java 9 is due to launch on September 22nd, 2016. ®

More about

More about

More about

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like