Oracle releases Java 9

Martin Brinkmann
Sep 21, 2017
Updated • Jan 4, 2018
Development, Misc
|
29

Oracle has just released Java 9, the new version and latest update to the Java platform, featuring improvements across the board.

The new release includes a long list of improvements and changes like modularization support, better performance, support for new standards and more.

Oracle classifies Java 9 as a major release. The release notes highlight all major changes to the various Java components.

The biggest change, according to Oracle, is the introduction of the Java Platform Module System. It "introduces a new kind of Java programming component", the module, a named, self-describing collection of data and code.

Java's JDK has been divided into modules which, among many other things, restructured the JDK and JRE runtime images which in turn improved performance, security and maintainability.

Most changes are important only to Java developers, but there are some that affect home users who run Java applications locally or on the Web.

Here is the list of changes that may be relevant to home users:

  • The JRE 9 installer for Windows includes an option to "disable Java content in the browser" during setup. You need to select custom setup on the first installation screen to get to that option though. This blocks Java from running in the browser during installation (you had to disable this in the Control Panel previously).
  • The Java plug-in is deprecated. While it is still included with the JDK 9 build that was released today, Oracle notes that the plugin and associated applet technologies may be removed in future releases. The applet API is also deprecated.
  • The Java Control Panel applet for Windows has been updated. It features a search now, modal dialog boxes are gone, and information should be easier to locate according to Oracle. The placement of some options has changed however. The following options are provided:
    • Disable automatic update checking.
    • Manage Java desktop settings.
    • Manage web settings (exceptions, deployment rule set, temporary file settings, network, Java cache viewer).
    • Manage security settings (enable Java content in browser, enable enhanced security restrictions, manage certificates).
    • List of advanced options.

General features of interest include the disabling of SHA-1 certificates, better TLS support, and more.

You can download the Jave SE Development KIT 9 from this page, and the JRE 9 from this page. Downloads are provided for Linux, Mac OS X, Windows and Solaris.

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Oracle releases Java 9
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Oracle releases Java 9
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Oracle has just released Java 9, the new version and latest update to the Java platform, featuring improvements across the board.
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Comments

  1. chesscanoe said on October 20, 2017 at 3:14 pm
    Reply

    Until the Java site has consistent and explanatory information available, I am staying at Java 8 Update 151 under FCU, which works well for the few applications I care about. I disabled automatic update For Java as I do not yet trust the redesign of Java 9.

  2. AJ North said on October 20, 2017 at 9:21 am
    Reply

    Correction: “(and I still don’t see a download for JRE 9 x64 at their site)” should have been “(and I still don’t see a download for JRE 9 x32 at their site).”

  3. Nate Blevins said on October 3, 2017 at 6:41 pm
    Reply

    https://twitter.com/mreinhold/status/912311207935090689

    Sorry, but we have no plans to ship 32-bit builds of JDK 9. We’re trying to focus more on the future than the past.

    1. A different Martin said on October 3, 2017 at 9:28 pm
      Reply

      There’s a longish discussion on StackOverflow about the mystery of the disappearing 32-bit Java 9 binaries:

      https://stackoverflow.com/questions/46356345/can-java-9-run-on-a-32-bit-os

      It looks to me like Oracle initially posted them and then pulled them. Supposedly, it’s possible to compile your own 32-bit binaries. I’ve never done it and don’t know how, although I suppose I could learn. I still use LibreOffice x86 rather than x64 on one computer that has only 4GB of RAM, and TuxGuitar for Windows is a 32-bit portable Windows program that requires Java (which I assume means 32-bit Java). For those programs, I’ll probably just leave 32-bit Java 8 Update 144 installed for now.

      1. AJ North said on October 20, 2017 at 9:08 am
        Reply

        Re: New Development

        Your experience with the JRE seems to be different than mine.

        One banking site I regularly visit requires Java for certain functionality; as I use Firefox ESR x32 (requiring the x32 JRE), when I saw that there was an update to 8u144 in the October 2017 Oracle Critical Patch Update Advisory (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2017-3236626.html) and visited the download page (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html), the only x32 JRE listed was 8u151.

        Since I’ve encountered issues trying to update the JRE using the installer (I would end up having to do it in Safe Mode using SafeMSI), I just use the updater in the Java Control Panel; it updated 8u144 to 8u151. After reading your post, I ran the updater again a few minutes ago; the result was that Java is up to date (and I still don’t see a download for JRE 9 x64 at their site). Interesting.

        I suppose that if I find that my x64 LibreOffice should require Java at some point, then perhaps I’ll give SE 9 a whirl.

      2. A different Martin said on October 20, 2017 at 12:34 am
        Reply

        New Development: Still no sign of downloadable 32-bit Java binaries on Oracle’s download site, but doing Control Panel > Java > Update tab > Update Now recognizes that 32-bit Java 8u151 is out of date and downloads and installs 32-bit Java 9.0.1. Weird. (As so often happens, the installer’s uninstall routine for the old version failed, so I had to uninstall 8u151 from Control Panel > Programs and Features.)

  4. Paul(us) said on September 23, 2017 at 1:09 pm
    Reply

    Martin, Or anybody else please let me know because I can’t find anywhere or I can install next to the 32 bit – jre-8u144-windows-i586 version also the new Java Runtime Environment 64-Bit JRE 9, when I have a 64-bit and 32-bit browser installed on main Windows 10 pro?

  5. ilev said on September 22, 2017 at 7:14 pm
    Reply

    Did Oracle change naming convention ? Previously the was named like : jre-8u141-windows-i586.exe, now its : jre-9_windows-x86_bin.exe.

  6. Jeff said on September 22, 2017 at 7:00 am
    Reply

    Would have liked to see in this article how Java 9 benefits Android.

  7. bugsy said on September 22, 2017 at 4:32 am
    Reply

    Waiting for openjdk-9.

    1. CHEF-KOCH said on September 22, 2017 at 11:23 pm
      Reply

      OpenJDK is here and will be implemented in next final Android Studio.

      https://openjdk.java.net/projects/jdk9/

  8. Stefan said on September 22, 2017 at 3:52 am
    Reply

    Tried to send via contact form (INVALID USER AGENT – yes, i use a fake to protect my computer….so what ?) With the valid i couldn’t send anything….nothing happens at all !)

    My mess:

    I wanted to say thank You for this wonderful site. Since i found it i have been tought a lot i even didn’t know before. Keep up Your wonderful work ! :)

  9. Jody Thornton said on September 22, 2017 at 1:35 am
    Reply

    So if the applet engine and plug-in are deprecated, then what is Java useful for anymore? Does Libre/Open-Office still need it? Sounds like a product just asking to be killed off.

    1. Anonymouser said on September 24, 2017 at 3:19 am
      Reply

      > what is Java useful for anymore? Does Libre/Open-Office still need it?

      Yes, Jody, you’re correct. Last I checked, the Base app (DB front end) still wants Java installed.
      (Hopefully this won’t always be the case. As I understand it, the LO devs are “transitioning” the embedded storage engine to a Firebird SQL back end, but the feature is still considered experimental.)

    2. All Things Firefox said on September 22, 2017 at 2:21 am
      Reply

      A lot of apps are built with Java, including Minecraft and Eclipse. Android apps are written in Java.

      1. Jody Thornton said on September 22, 2017 at 1:29 pm
        Reply

        So really not as useful for the PC then, so it seems. It was common advice starting around a decade ago not to install it for security reasons, and I stopped installing it around 2006. There used to be a couple of sites I visited with a downgraded experience, but I’ve not been impacted since then.

        I was just surprised that Android apps used it.

    3. CHEF-KOCH said on September 22, 2017 at 2:07 am
      Reply

      LibeOffice never ‘needed’ Java, it always was optional to access the advance functions + allows scripting. This is optional opt-in. Java is still used by millions and every Android developer (only one example) needs it (Google since 2 years decided to include it in their installer now). Some tools even come with their own java binaries e.g. JDownloader.

      1. Jody Thornton said on September 22, 2017 at 1:31 pm
        Reply

        Well I was specifically referring to OpenOffice. At one time, it needed Java. So I just figured that LibreOffice was a natural extension of that. Duly noted.
        :)

  10. E said on September 21, 2017 at 11:25 pm
    Reply

    Wow, after giving it a try, it does its own dpi and completely ruins some application because of it, fonts and such are almost 1.5 bigger on my system, but the rest of the java app are not, leaving a ton of text getting cut off from view.

    I’ll stick with jre8 for a few versions until they iron out these bugs.

    1. chesscanoe said on September 22, 2017 at 5:31 pm
      Reply

      I installed the 32 bit Java 9 JRE and due to font size increase I could not respond to the small message window after trying to run wordle dot net. I uninstalled Java nine using Revo Uninstaller Plus, and wordle dot net now works fine again under latest Java 8. I’m using IE11 under Windows 10 CU x64 Home re this test.

      It is interesting if you go to java dot com in IE11 and click on “Do I have Java?, it said I had the latest Java 8. No suggestion to go to Java 9 was made.

      1. chesscanoe said on January 17, 2018 at 3:20 am
        Reply

        Per http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2018-3236628.html I updated Java 8 SE version 8 update 151 to update 161. Java still works well for me under latest IE11 under latest Windows 10 x64 Home.

      2. Alph4 said on September 27, 2017 at 10:46 pm
        Reply

        I’ve a suggestion : no use IE anymore ?

  11. Eder said on September 21, 2017 at 11:21 pm
    Reply

    Only for 64 bit systems?

    1. A different Martin said on September 23, 2017 at 6:07 pm
      Reply

      For now, at least, only 64-bit systems appear to be supported: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/jdk9certconfig-3761018.html#os

      After I installed the Java 9 runtime environment for 64-bit Windows (the only Windows architecture offered, whether on a 64-bit or 32-bit browser), Pale Moon x64 showed the Java 9 plug-in as disabled (due to “known vulnerabilities”), Firefox 55 x64 didn’t have a Java plug-in at all (I don’t think Firefox x64 ever supported it), and Firefox ESR 52 x86 showed the Java 8 Update 144 plug-in (the previous version).

      The link provided by CHEF-KOCH is inaccessible without an authorization token (which you probably get by accepting a license agreement on a referring page), and I couldn’t figure out how to navigate to it.

      Anyway, for Firefox ESR x86 on my computer, and for LibreOffice x86 on a relative’s computer that only has 4GB of RAM, I’m not going to uninstall Java 8 for now.

      1. A different Martin said on September 23, 2017 at 7:16 pm
        Reply

        Correction: Java Deployment Toolkit 9 is disabled in Pale Moon x64. Java Platform SE 9 is now installed and (per my previous settings) set to Ask to Activate in Pale Moon x64, after I ran Check for Updates. Sorry for the inaccurate earlier comment.

    2. ilev said on September 22, 2017 at 7:11 pm
      Reply

      System’s 32/64 bit doesn’t matter, browser 32/64 bit does.

    3. CHEF-KOCH said on September 22, 2017 at 12:15 am
      Reply
  12. CHEF-KOCH said on September 21, 2017 at 11:06 pm
    Reply

    Good step forward.

  13. E said on September 21, 2017 at 10:50 pm
    Reply

    Is it fully backwards compatible?

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