The Java World:
Java language which has grown over last several years doesn’t need an introduction. Sun Microsystems originally developed it, and later Oracle Corporation acquired it. It works in a cross-platform environment, and the uses are very wide. Consider the usage from mobile phones to embedded systems and up to supercomputers, and Java is everywhere! The language is changing, adopting to changes in the internet space and evolving since 1995!
Programming in Java:
For understanding the working of Java Programming language, we have to understand some language-specific terms. Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is the core of executing any Java program. This machine executes Java bytecode programs. Whichever hardware and OS you use, the bytecode remains same. Once you upload the bytecode to JVM, the compiler converts it into machine language instructions. This code remains in your cache memory during program execution.
The efficient way of passing information and instructions to the computer processor from an Object Oriented Programming Language is the key to success of Java. Though the features get added and modified in every Java release, the core remains same, and memory management techniques have also remained same. We will see more about this feature when we talk about Java 9 features.
Similar to every programming language, for Java developers also there are integrated development environments (IDE) available and the most common one is JDK. The Java Development Kit has a compiler, the Runtime Environment and other tools to help the freelance web developer in coding.
JDK 9 and Requirements:
JDK 9 is still not released, and Oracle is likely to release Java 9 sometime around Sept’2017 as per various news sources. There are a lot of expectations from Java 9, and the early release snippets are available from Oracle for testing and contributing to the development of this language. You must have Windows 7 or above on your desktop, and the server needs to be 2012 or above to perform the early release tests.
What can you expect in Java 9?
There are various sources providing different information on expected features. We have gathered this information from some trusted sources to put together in this article. As always, some features get changed, some get dropped, and some new surprises are there for the developers in each language release, and you can expect the same in this case also.
The Java Platform Module System (JPMS):
Have you heard about Project Jigsaw? It was originally intended for Java 7 but got deferred to Java 8 and again deferred to a Java 9. You can expect it to be there as a flagship of all these changes.
A lot of discussion is there about a big feature in new release known as JPSM. It states the distribution format for collections of your code and other resources. The JPSM specifies a storage repository for these collections and identifies how they can be discovered, loaded and checked. You can participate in these discussions on Java forums and freelance tips websites.
Enhanced Class Library:
The class library is an important part of any coding language, which constantly gets improved with each release. Now you have thousands of classes in latest JDK versions. Also expect to see an increase in freelance jobs with new feature upgrades required in old projects. Expect to see more enhanced classes and new classes in Java 9.
Benchmarking Solution
A benchmarking solution will be made available in new Java in the form of the Java Microbenchmarking Harness (JMH). This feature will standardise the benchmarking process throughout all types of benchmarks. Expect most accurate results for improving decision making following benchmarks; you will like to have this feature.
HTTP 2.0 and jshell:
The HTTP 2.0 protocol is likely to will have full support for Java 9. The JDK will have a new HTTP client which will replace HttpURLConnection. A new command tool named as jshell will be available along with a new release for native support. IT makes your life easy as you can run a few lines of code using this tool to see quick outputs.
The StackWalker:
With improved JVM capabilities, you will like the new StackWalker to check the stack. It will allow you to leverage the Stream APIs for filtering and mapping.
Easy Logging:
Every JDK class use its logging mechanism and collect all the logs for you, but you prefer to have your logging backend. In this case, this developer need of developers is taken into consideration and likely to be fulfilled soon!
Get rid of Deprecation Warnings:
Though everyone likes to work on new projects and new programs, there are times when you have to work on old projects and old code. If there are deprecated types causing errors or giving messages, you may get irritated as your job may not be to revamp entire project. These warnings will be suppressed now while importing the old code.
Use of Reactive Principles:
The Reactive principles are used commonly in different libraries, and the frameworks implement them. The new release contains a set of interfaces that capture asynchronous publication and subscription. Third party operators are supposed to work on such features and develop them in future.
Changes to Process API:
Java 9 is likely to have considerable improvements in Process API. More classes and methods are added to ease the controlling and managing of OS processes. Multiple sites are talking about different API improvements and how to use them. It is a good idea to go through some sites providing such coding examples.
Private Methods:
Expect some Private methods in Java SE 9 interfaces. If you use the ‘private’ keyword, you will be able to write your private and private static methods going forward. A great feature for creative developers!
Summary:
Oracle has mentioned that they release periodic early access snapshots of the binaries for JDK 9 on java.net. These snapshots let you review and contribute to the Java SE platform in the development stage. You can download preview updates and start working on them to get ready to implement all new exciting features of Java 9 in your new projects.
