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{{Distinguish|JavaScript}}
{{Infobox software
| name                   = Java (software platform)
| logo                   = Dukesource125.gif<!-- Image name is enough -->
| logo caption           = The Java technology logo
| logo size              = 125px
| author                 = [[James Gosling]], [[Sun Microsystems]]
| developer              = [[Oracle Corporation]]
| released               = {{Start date and age|1996|01|23|df=yes/no}}<ref name = "pr10">{{cite web |url= http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/1996-01/sunflash.960123.10561.xml |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080205101616/http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/1996-01/sunflash.960123.10561.xml |archivedate=2008-02-05 |title=JavaSoft ships Java 1.0 |publisher=Web.archive.org |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref><ref name=JavaHistory>{{cite book |last1=Ortiz|first1=C. Enrique|last2=Giguere|first2=Eric|title=Mobile Information Device Profile for Java 2 Micro Edition: Developer's Guide|year=2001|publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]] |isbn=978-0471034650 |url=http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/chapter1-159190.pdf|accessdate=May 30, 2012|format=PDF}}</ref>
| programming language   = [[Java (programming language)|Java]], [[C++]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://openjdk.java.net/groups/hotspot/ |title=HotSpot Group |publisher=Openjdk.java.net |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>
| operating system       = [[Windows]], [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]], [[Linux]], [[OS X]]<ref name="system-configurations">{{cite web|url=http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/certconfig-2095354.html |title=Oracle JDK 8 and JRE 8 Certified System Configurations Contents |website=Oracle.com |date=2014-04-08 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>
| platform               = [[IA-32]], [[x64]], [[ARMv7]], [[ARMv8]], [[SPARC]]<ref name="system-configurations" />
| language               = English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/javase7locales-334809.html#translation |title=Java SE 7 Supported Locales |publisher=Oracle.com |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>
| genre                  = [[Software platform]]
| license                = [[Freeware]], mostly [[Open-source software|open-source]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://openjdk.java.net/legal/gplv2+ce.html |title=OpenJDK: GPLv2 + Classpath Exception |publisher=Openjdk.java.net |date=1989-04-01 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> with a few [[Proprietary software|proprietary]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/terms/license/index.html |title=BCL For Java SE |publisher=Oracle.com |date=2013-04-02 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> components<ref>{{cite web|url=http://openjdk.java.net/faq/ |title=OpenJDK FAQ |publisher=Openjdk.java.net |date=2010-12-18 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>
| website                = {{URL|www.java.com}}
}}
[[File:Aspectotuxguitar.jpg|thumb|A Java-powered program]]
'''Java''' is a set of [[computer software]]  and specifications developed by [[Sun Microsystems]], which was later acquired by the [[Oracle Corporation]], that provides a system for developing [[application software]] and deploying it in a [[cross-platform]] computing environment. Java is used in a wide variety of [[computing platform]]s from [[embedded device]]s and [[mobile phone]]s to [[enterprise server]]s and [[supercomputer]]s. [[Java applet]]s, which are less common than standalone Java applications, run in secure, [[Sandbox (computer security)|sandboxed]] environments to provide many features of native applications and can be embedded in [[HTML]] pages.

Writing in the [[Java (programming language)|Java programming language]] is the primary way to produce code that will be deployed as [[Java byte code|byte code]] in a [[Java virtual machine]] (JVM); byte code [[compiler]]s are also available for other languages, including [[Ada (programming language)|Ada]], [[JavaScript]], [[Python (programming language)|Python]], and [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]]. In addition, several languages have been designed to run natively on the JVM, including [[Scala (programming language)|Scala]], [[Clojure]] and [[Groovy (programming language)|Apache Groovy]]. [[Java syntax]] borrows heavily from [[C (programming language)|C]] and [[C++]], but object-oriented features are modeled after [[Smalltalk]] and [[Objective-C]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://virtualschool.edu/objectivec/influenceOnJava.html |title=Java Was Strongly Influenced by Objective-C |first=Patrick |last=Naughton |work=Virtual School}}</ref> Java eschews certain low-level constructs such as [[pointer (computer programming)|pointer]]s and has a very simple memory model where every object is [[dynamic memory allocation|allocated on the heap]] and all variables of object types are [[reference (computer science)|references]]. Memory management is handled through integrated automatic [[garbage collection (computer science)|garbage collection]] performed by the JVM.

On November 13, 2006, Sun Microsystems made the bulk of its implementation of Java available under the [[GNU General Public License]] (GPL).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sun.com/2006-1113/feature/story.jsp |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513023707/http://www.sun.com/2006-1113/feature/story.jsp |archivedate=2008-05-13 |title=Sun Opens Java |date=13 November 2006 |publisher=Sun Microsystems}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/build-dev/2010-December/003881.html| title=OpenJDK7 and OpenJDK6 Binary Plugs Logic Removed
| author=Kelly O'Hair| publisher=[[Oracle Corporation]]| date=December 2010| accessdate=2011-11-25}}</ref>

The latest version is Java 9, the second of the two supported (with e.g. security updates) versions as of 2017. Oracle (and others) has announced that using older versions (other than Java 8) of their JVM implementation presents serious risks, due to unresolved security issues.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/remove_olderversions.xml |title=Why should I uninstall older versions of Java from my system? |publisher=Oracle |accessdate=2016-09-09}}</ref><ref name="remote exploit"/><ref name ="Homeland Security"/>

== Platform ==
The Java platform is a suite of programs that facilitate developing and running programs written in the [[Java (programming language)|Java]] programming language. A Java platform will include an execution engine (called a [[virtual machine]]), a compiler and a set of [[Library (computing)|libraries]]; there may also be additional [[Server (computing)|servers]] and alternative libraries that depend on the requirements. Java is not specific to any processor or [[operating system]] as Java platforms have been implemented for a wide variety of hardware and operating systems with a view to enable Java programs to [[Write once, run anywhere|run identically]] on all of them. Different platforms target different classes of device and [[application domain]]s:

* [[Java Card]]: A technology that allows small Java-based applications ([[applet]]s) to be run securely on [[smart card]]s and similar small-memory devices.
* [[Java ME]] (Micro Edition): Specifies several different sets of libraries (known as profiles) for devices with limited storage, display, and power capacities. It is often used to develop applications for mobile devices, PDAs, TV [[set-top boxes]], and printers.
* [[Java SE]] (Standard Edition): For general-purpose use on desktop PCs, servers and similar devices.
* [[Java EE]] (Enterprise Edition): Java SE plus various APIs which are useful for [[n-tier|multi-tier]] [[client–server]] [[enterprise application]]s.

The Java platform consists of several programs, each of which provides a portion of its overall capabilities.  For example, the Java compiler, which converts Java source code into Java bytecode (an intermediate language for the JVM), is provided as part of the [[Java Development Kit]] (JDK).  The [[Java Runtime Environment]] (JRE), complementing the JVM with a [[just-in-time compilation|just-in-time (JIT) compiler]], converts intermediate bytecode into native machine code on the fly. The Java platform also includes an extensive set of libraries.

The essential components in the platform are the Java language compiler, the libraries, and the runtime environment in which Java intermediate bytecode executes according to the rules laid out in the virtual machine specification.

=== Java Virtual Machine ===
{{Main article|Java Virtual Machine}}

The heart of the Java platform is the concept of a "virtual machine" that executes [[Java bytecode]] programs. This bytecode is the same no matter what hardware or operating system the program is running under. There is a JIT (Just In Time) compiler within the ''Java Virtual Machine'', or JVM. The JIT compiler translates the Java bytecode into native processor instructions at run-time and caches the native code in memory during execution.

The use of bytecode as an intermediate language permits Java programs to run on any platform that has a virtual machine available.  The use of a JIT compiler means that Java applications, after a short delay during loading and once they have "warmed up" by being all or mostly JIT-compiled, tend to run about as fast as native programs.<ref name="LewisNeumann" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
Since JRE version 1.2, Sun's JVM implementation has included a [[just-in-time compilation|just-in-time compiler]] instead of an interpreter.

Although Java programs are [[cross-platform]] or platform independent, the code of the Java Virtual Machines (JVM) that execute these programs is not. Every supported operating platform has its own JVM.

=== Class libraries ===
{{Main article|Java Class Library}}

In most modern [[operating system]]s (OSs), a large body of reusable code is provided to simplify the programmer's job. This code is typically provided as a set of [[library (computer science)#Dynamic linking|dynamically loadable libraries]] that applications can call at runtime. Because the Java platform is not dependent on any specific operating system, applications cannot rely on any of the pre-existing OS libraries. Instead, the Java platform provides a comprehensive set of its own standard class libraries containing many of the same reusable functions commonly found in modern operating systems. Most of the system library is also written in Java. For instance, the [[Swing (Java)|Swing]] library paints the user interface and handles the events itself, eliminating many subtle differences between how different platforms handle components.

The Java class libraries serve three purposes within the Java platform. First, like other standard code libraries, the Java libraries provide the programmer a well-known set of functions to perform common tasks, such as maintaining lists of items or performing complex string parsing. Second, the class libraries provide an abstract interface to tasks that would normally depend heavily on the hardware and operating system. Tasks such as network access and file access are often heavily intertwined with the distinctive implementations of each platform. The <code>java.net</code> and <code>java.io</code> libraries implement an abstraction layer in native OS code, then provide a standard interface for the Java applications to perform those tasks. Finally, when some underlying platform does not support all of the features a Java application expects, the class libraries work to gracefully handle the absent components, either by emulation to provide a substitute, or at least by providing a consistent way to check for the presence of a specific feature.

=== Languages ===
{{See also|List of JVM languages|:Category:JVM programming languages{{!}}JVM programming languages}}

The word "Java", alone, usually refers to Java programming language that was designed for use with the Java platform. Programming languages are typically outside of the scope of the phrase "platform", although the Java programming language was listed as a core part of the Java platform before Java 7. The language and runtime were therefore commonly considered a single unit. However, an effort was made with the Java 7 specification to more clearly treat the Java language and the Java virtual machine as separate entities, so that they are no longer considered a single unit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jvms/se7/html/jvms-1.html#jvms-1.3|title=JVM 7 Specification}}</ref>

Third parties have produced many [[compiler]]s or [[interpreter (computing)|interpreters]] that target the JVM. Some of these are for existing languages, while others are for extensions to the Java language. These include:

* [[BeanShell]] – A lightweight scripting language for Java<ref>{{URL|www.beanshell.org/}}</ref>
* [[Clojure]] – A dialect of the Lisp programming language
* [[Groovy (programming language)|Groovy]] – A dynamic language with features similar to those of Python, Ruby, Perl, and Smalltalk
* [[JRuby]] – A [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]] interpreter
* [[Jython]] – A [[Python (programming language)|Python]] interpreter
* [[Kotlin (programming language)|Kotlin]] – An industrial programming language for [[JVM]] with full [[Java (programming language)|Java]] interoperability
* [[Rhino (JavaScript engine)|Rhino]] – A [[JavaScript]] interpreter
* [[Scala (programming language)|Scala]] – A multi-paradigm programming language designed as a "better Java"
* [[Gosu (programming language)|Gosu]] – A general-purpose Java Virtual Machine-based programming language released under the Apache License 2.0

=== Similar platforms ===
{{See also|Comparison of the Java and .NET platforms|Comparison of C Sharp and Java|l2=Comparison of C# and Java|}}

The success of Java and its [[write once, run anywhere]] concept has led to other similar efforts, notably the [[.NET Framework]], appearing since 2002, which incorporates many of the successful aspects of Java. .NET in its complete form (Microsoft's implementation) is currently only fully available on Windows platforms, whereas Java is fully available on many platforms. .NET was built from the ground-up to support multiple programming languages, while the Java platform was initially built to support only the Java language, although many other languages have been made for JVM since.

.NET includes a Java-like language called [[J Sharp|Visual J#]] (formerly named [[Visual J++|J++]]) that is incompatible with the Java specification, and the associated class library mostly dates to the old JDK 1.1 version of the language. For these reasons, it is more of a transitional language to switch from Java to the .NET platform than it is a first class .NET language. Visual J# was discontinued with the release of Microsoft Visual Studio 2008. The existing version shipping with [[Microsoft Visual Studio|Visual Studio 2005]] will be supported until 2015 as per the product life-cycle strategy.{{citation needed|date=July 2016}}

=== Java Development Kit ===
{{Main article|Java Development Kit}}

The ''Java Development Kit'' (''JDK'') is a [[Sun Microsystems|Sun]] product aimed at Java developers. Since the introduction of Java, it has been by far the most widely used Java [[software development kit]] (SDK).{{citation needed|date = December 2011}} It contains a Java compiler, a full copy of the [[Java Runtime Environment]] (JRE), and many other important development tools.

== History ==
[[File:James Gosling 2008.jpg|thumb|James Gosling]]
The Java platform and language began as an internal project at [[Sun Microsystems]] in December 1990, providing an alternative to the C++/[[C (programming language)|C]] programming languages. Engineer [[Patrick Naughton]] had become increasingly frustrated with the state of Sun's C++ and C [[application programming interface]]s (APIs) and tools. While considering moving to [[NeXT]], Naughton was offered{{by whom|date=August 2014}} a chance to work on new technology, and thus the ''Stealth Project'' started.

The Stealth Project was soon renamed to the ''Green Project'', with [[James Gosling]] and Mike Sheridan joining Naughton.  Together with other engineers, they began work in a small office on [[Sand Hill Road]] in [[Menlo Park, California]]. They aimed to develop new technology for programming next-generation smart appliances, which Sun expected to offer major new opportunities.<ref name="earlyhistory">{{cite web
|url=http://java.sun.com/features/1998/05/birthday.html
|title=Java Technology: The Early Years
|author=Jon Byous
|date=April 2003
|publisher=[[Sun Microsystems]]
|accessdate=2009-08-02
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530073139/http://java.sun.com/features/1998/05/birthday.html |archivedate=May 30, 2008}}</ref>

The team originally considered using C++, but rejected it for several reasons. Because they were developing an [[embedded system]] with limited resources, they decided that C++ needed too much memory and that its complexity led to developer errors.  The language's lack of [[garbage collection (computer science)|garbage collection]] meant that programmers had to manually manage system memory, a challenging and error-prone task. The team also worried about the C++ language's lack of portable facilities for security, [[distributed programming]], and [[thread (computer science)|threading]]. Finally, they wanted a platform that would port easily to all types of devices.

[[Bill Joy]] had envisioned a new language combining [[Mesa (programming language)|Mesa]] and C. In a paper called ''Further'', he proposed to Sun that its engineers should produce an [[object-oriented programming|object-oriented]] environment based on C++.  Initially, Gosling attempted to modify and extend C++ (a proposed development that he referred to as "C++ ++ --") but soon abandoned that in favor of creating a new language, which he called ''[[Oak (programming language)|Oak]]'', after the tree that stood just outside his office.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

By the summer of 1992, the team could demonstrate portions of the new platform, including the Green [[operating system|OS]], the Oak language, the libraries, and the hardware. Their first demonstration, on September 3, 1992, focused on building a [[personal digital assistant]] (PDA) device named ''[[Star7]]''{{Ref|star7}} that had a graphical interface and a smart agent called "Duke" to assist the user. In November of that year, the Green Project was spun off to become ''Firstperson'', a wholly owned subsidiary of Sun Microsystems, and the team relocated to [[Palo Alto, California]].<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://java.sun.com/j2ee/tutorial/1_3-fcs/doc/J2eeTutorialForeword.html
|title=Foreword
|author=Kathy Walrath
|publisher=[[Sun Microsystems]]
|date=2001-12-21
|accessdate=2009-08-02}}
</ref> The Firstperson team had an interest in building highly interactive devices, and when [[Time Warner]] issued a [[request for proposal]] (RFP) for a [[set-top box]], Firstperson changed their target and responded with a proposal for a set-top box platform. However, the [[cable TV|cable]] industry felt that their platform gave too much control to the user, so Firstperson lost their bid to [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]]. An additional deal with [[The 3DO Company]] for a set-top box also failed to materialize. Unable to generate interest within the television industry, the company was rolled back into Sun.

=== Java meets the Web ===
[[File:John Gage.jpg|thumb|upright|John Gage]]
In June and July 1994 – after three days of brainstorming with [[John Gage]] (the Director of Science for Sun), Gosling, Joy, Naughton, [[Wayne Rosing]], and [[Eric Schmidt]] – the team re-targeted the platform for the [[World Wide Web]]. They felt that with the advent of graphical [[web browser]]s like [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]] the Internet could evolve into the same highly interactive medium that they had envisioned for cable TV. As a prototype, Naughton wrote a small browser, WebRunner (named after the movie ''[[Blade Runner]]''), renamed [[HotJava]]<ref name="earlyhistory" /> in 1995.

In 1994, Sun renamed the Oak language to ''Java'' after a [[trademark]] search revealed that [[Oak Technology]] used the name ''Oak''.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-10-1996/jw-10-javaname.html
|title=So why did they decide to call it Java?
|author=Kieron Murphy
|publisher=javaworld.com
|date=1996-04-10
|quote='The lawyers had told us that we couldn't use the name "OAK" because [it was already trademarked by] Oak Technologies,' said Frank Yellin, a senior engineer at Sun. 'So a brainstorming session was held to come up with ideas for a new name.'
|accessdate=2009-08-03}}
</ref> Although Java 1.0a became available for download in 1994, the first public release of Java, Java 1.0a2 with the HotJava browser, came on May 23, 1995, announced by Gage at the [[SunWorld]] conference. Accompanying Gage's announcement, [[Marc Andreessen]], Executive Vice President of [[Netscape Communications Corporation]], unexpectedly announced that Netscape browsers would include Java support. On January 9, 1996, Sun Microsystems formed the JavaSoft group to develop the technology.<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/1996-01/sunflash.960109.14048.html |title=Sun Microsystems announces formation of JavaSoft |date=9 January 1996 
|publisher=Sun Microsystems}}{{deadlink|date=October 2017}}</ref>

=== Version history ===
{{Main article|Java version history}}

The Java language has undergone several changes since the release of JDK ([[Java Development Kit]]) 1.0 on January 23, 1996, as well as numerous additions of classes and packages to the standard [[library (computer science)|library]]. Since J2SE 1.4 the [[Java Community Process]] (JCP) has governed the evolution of the Java Language. The JCP uses ''Java Specification Requests'' (JSRs) to propose and specify additions and changes to the Java platform. The ''Java Language Specification'' (JLS) specifies the language; changes to the JLS are managed under JSR 901.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=63 |title=The Java Community Process(SM) Program - JSRs: Java Specification Requests - detail JSR# 63 |publisher=Jcp.org |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>

Sun released ''JDK 1.1'' on February 19, 1997. Major additions included an extensive retooling of the [[Abstract Window Toolkit|AWT]] event model, [[inner class]]es added to the language, [[JavaBean]]s and [[Java Database Connectivity|JDBC]].

''J2SE 1.2'' (December 8, 1998) – Codename ''Playground''. This and subsequent releases through J2SE 5.0 were rebranded ''Java 2'' and the version name "J2SE" ([[Java Platform, Standard Edition|Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition]]) replaced JDK to distinguish the base platform from J2EE ([[Java Platform, Enterprise Edition|Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition]]) and J2ME ([[Java Platform, Micro Edition|Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition]]). Major additions included [[Reflection (computer science)|reflection]], a [[container (data structure)|collections]] framework, [[Java Interface Definition Language|Java IDL]] (an [[interface description language]] implementation for [[CORBA]] interoperability), and the integration of the [[Swing (Java)|Swing]] graphical API into the core classes. A [[Java Plug-in]] was released, and Sun's JVM was equipped with a [[just-in-time compilation|JIT compiler]] for the first time.

''J2SE 1.3'' (May 8, 2000) – Codename ''Kestrel''. Notable changes included the bundling of the [[HotSpot]] JVM (the HotSpot JVM was first released in April, 1999 for the J2SE 1.2 JVM), [[JavaSound]], [[Java Naming and Directory Interface]] (JNDI) and [[Java Platform Debugger Architecture]] (JPDA).

''J2SE 1.4'' (February 6, 2002) – Codename ''Merlin''. This became the first release of the Java platform developed under the Java Community Process as JSR 59.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=59 |title=The Java Community Process(SM) Program - JSRs: Java Specification Requests - detail JSR# 59 |publisher=Jcp.org |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> Major changes included [[regular expressions]] modeled after [[Perl]], [[exception chaining]], an integrated [[XML]] parser and [[XSLT]] processor ([[Java API for XML Processing|JAXP]]), and [[Java Web Start]].

''J2SE 5.0'' (September 30, 2004) – Codename ''Tiger''. It was originally numbered 1.5, which is still used as the internal version number.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/relnotes/version-5.0.html |title=Version 1.5.0 or 5.0? |publisher=Java.sun.com |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> Developed under JSR 176, Tiger added several significant new language features including the [[for-each loop]], [[generic programming|generics]], [[autoboxing]] and [[variadic function|var-args]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=176 |title=The Java Community Process(SM) Program - JSRs: Java Specification Requests - detail JSR# 176 |publisher=Jcp.org |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>

''Java SE 6'' (December 11, 2006) – Codename ''Mustang''. It was bundled with a database manager and facilitates the use of scripting languages with the JVM (such as [[JavaScript]] using [[Mozilla]]'s [[Rhino (JavaScript engine)|Rhino]] engine). As of this version, Sun replaced the name "J2SE" with ''Java SE'' and dropped the ".0" from the version number.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.java.com/en/about/javanaming.jsp |title=Java Naming |work=Java.com |publisher=Oracle |accessdate=25 August 2011}}</ref> Other major changes include support for pluggable [[Java annotation|annotations]] ([[JSR 269]]), many [[GUI]] improvements, including native UI enhancements to support the look and feel of [[Windows Vista]], and improvements to the [[Java Platform Debugger Architecture]] (JPDA) & JVM Tool Interface for better monitoring and troubleshooting.

''Java SE 7'' (July 28, 2011) – Codename ''Dolphin''.  This version developed under JSR 336.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=336 |title=The Java Community Process(SM) Program - JSRs: Java Specification Requests - detail JSR# 336 |publisher=Jcp.org |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>  It added many small language changes including strings in switch, try-with-resources and [[type inference]] for generic instance creation. The JVM was extended with support for dynamic languages, while the class library was extended among others with a join/fork framework,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=166 |title=JSRs: Java Specification Requests: JSR 166: Concurrency Utilities |work=Java Community Process |first=Doug |last=Lea |date=13 September 2004 |publisher=Oracle Corp}}</ref> an improved new file I/O library and support for new network protocols such as [[SCTP]]. Java 7 Update 76 was released in January 2015, with expiration date April 14, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/7u76-relnotes-2389087.html |title=Java™ SE Development Kit 7 Update 76 Release Notes |publisher=Oracle.com |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>

In June 2016, after the last public update of Java 7,<ref>https://www.java.com/en/download/faq/release_dates.xml</ref> "[[Exploit (computer security)|remotely exploitable]]" security bugs in Java 6, 7, and 8 were announced.<ref name="remote exploit">http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujul2016-2881720.html#AppendixJAVA</ref>

''Java SE 8'' (March 18, 2014) – Notable changes include language-level support for [[Lambda (programming)|lambda expressions]] ([[closure (computer science)|closures]]) and default methods, the Project Nashorn JavaScript runtime, a new Date and Time API inspired by Joda Time, and the removal of PermGen. This version is not officially supported on the Windows XP platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.java.com/en/download/faq/winxp.xml |title=Windows XP and Java |publisher=Java.com |date=2014-04-08 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> However, due to the end of Java 7's lifecycle it is the recommended version for XP users. Previously, only an unofficial manual installation method had been described for Windows XP SP3. It refers to JDK8, the developing platform for Java that also includes a fully functioning [[Java Runtime Environment]].<!--  What is not advised is enabling the JRE for browser use, which is a possible next step. The main JDK installation has no such comment. --><ref>{{cite web|url=https://stackoverflow.com/questions/20965564/installing-jdk8-on-windows-xp-advapi32-dll-error|title=installing JDK8 on Windows XP - advapi32.dll error}}</ref> Java 8 is supported on Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Vista SP2 and Windows 7 SP1,  Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and higher (and some other OSes).<ref>[http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/certconfig-2095354.html Oracle JDK 8 and JRE 8 Certified System Configurations Contents]</ref>

JDK 9 Early Access<!-- Releases Build 134--> requires Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2012, Ubuntu 16.04 LTS or higher (or other supported OS, such as <!--both only 64-bit--> OS X or Solaris).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://jdk9.java.net/jdk9_supported_platforms.html |quote=Note: Preliminary list. This is page is subject to change through the release cycle.|title=JDK 9 supported Platforms}}</ref>

In addition to language changes, significant changes have been made to the Java class library over the years, which has grown from a few hundred classes in JDK 1.0 to over three thousand in J2SE 5.0. Entire new APIs, such as [[Swing (Java)|Swing]] and [[Java 2D]], have evolved, and many of the original JDK 1.0 classes and methods have been [[deprecation|deprecated]].

== Usage ==

=== Desktop use ===
[[File:FrostWire-Vista.png|thumb|A Java program running on a desktop computer]]
According to Oracle in 2010, the Java Runtime Environment was found on over 850 million PCs.<ref>{{cite web|title=What is Java technology and why do I need it? |url=http://java.com/en/download/faq/whatis_java.xml |accessdate=15 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925204716/https://java.com/en/download/faq/whatis_java.xml |archive-date=25 September 2010 |quote=Java runs on more than 850 million personal computers worldwide, and on billions of devices worldwide, including mobile and TV devices.}}</ref> [[Microsoft]] has not bundled a [[Java Virtual Machine|Java Runtime Environment]] (JRE) with its [[operating system]]s since Sun Microsystems sued Microsoft for adding Windows-specific classes to the bundled Java runtime environment, and for making the new classes available through [[Visual J++]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}} Apple no longer includes a Java runtime with [[OS X]] as of [[Mac OS X Lion|version 10.7]], but the system prompts the user to download and install it the first time an application requiring the JRE is launched.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} Many [[Linux distribution]]s include the [[OpenJDK]] runtime as the default virtual machine, negating the need to download the proprietary Oracle JRE.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Java |title=Java on Fedora}}</ref>

Some Java applications are in fairly widespread desktop use, including the [[NetBeans]] and [[Eclipse (software)|Eclipse]] [[integrated development environment]]s, and file sharing clients such as [[LimeWire]] and [[Vuze]]. Java is also used in the [[MATLAB]] mathematics programming environment, both for rendering the [[user interface]] and as part of the core system. Java provides cross platform user interface for some high end collaborative applications such as [[IBM Lotus Notes|Lotus Notes]].

Oracle plans to first deprecate the separately installable Java browser plugin from the Java Runtime Environment in JDK 9 then remove it completely from a future release, forcing web developers to use an alternative technology.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.oracle.com/java-platform-group/entry/moving_to_a_plugin_free |title=Moving to a plugin-free web |first=Dalibor |last=Topic |date=27 January 2016 |publisher=Oracle}}</ref>

=== Mobile devices ===
[[File:2Mobiles-with-Bombus.jpg|thumb|2006 era mobile phones running a Java application]]
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2015}}
Java ME has become popular in mobile devices, where it competes with [[Symbian]], [[Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless|BREW]], and the [[.NET Compact Framework]].

The diversity of mobile phone manufacturers has led to a need for new unified standards so programs can run on phones from different suppliers – [[Mobile Information Device Profile|MIDP]]. The first standard was MIDP 1, which assumed a small screen size, no access to audio, and a 32kB program limit. The more recent MIDP 2 allows access to audio, and up to 64kB for the program size. With handset designs improving more rapidly than the standards, some manufacturers relax some limitations in the standards, for example, maximum program size.

Google's [[Android (operating system)|Android]] operating system uses the Java language, but not its class libraries, therefore the Android platform cannot be called Java. Android executes the code on the [[Android Runtime|ART VM]] (formerly the [[Dalvik (software)|Dalvik VM]] up to Android 4.4.4) instead of the Java VM.

=== Web server and enterprise use ===
[[File:Share and Repository Browser (Alfresco Community Edition).jpg|thumb|Java-powered web application]]
The Java platform has become a mainstay of enterprise IT development since the introduction of the Enterprise Edition in 1998, in two different ways:

# Through the coupling of Java to the web server, the Java platform has become a leading platform for integrating the Web with enterprise backend systems. This has allowed companies to move part or all of their business to the Internet environment by way of highly interactive online environments (such as highly dynamic websites) that allow the customer direct access to the business processes (e.g. online banking websites, airline booking systems and so on). This trend has continued from its initial Web-based start:
#* The Java platform has matured into an Enterprise Integration role in which legacy systems are unlocked to the outside world through bridges built on the Java platform. This trend has been supported for Java platform support for [[Enterprise application integration|EAI]] standards like messaging and [[Web services]] and has fueled the inclusion of the Java platform as a development basis in such standards as [[Software Communications Architecture|SCA]], [[XAM]] and others.
#* Java has become the standard development platform for many companies' IT departments, which do most or all of their corporate development in Java. This type of development is usually related to company-specific tooling (e.g. a booking tool for an airline) and the choice for the Java platform is often driven by a desire to leverage the existing Java infrastructure to build highly intelligent and interconnected tools.
# The Java platform has become the main development platform for many software tools and platforms that are produced by third-party software groups (commercial, open source and hybrid) and are used as configurable (rather than programmable) tools by companies. Examples in this category include Web servers, application servers, databases, enterprise service buses, [[business process management]] (BPM) tools and [[content management system]]s.

Enterprise use of Java has also long been the main driver of open source interest in the platform. This interest has inspired open source communities to produce a large amount of software, including simple function libraries, development frameworks (e.g. the [[Spring Framework]], [[Apache Wicket]], [[Dojo Toolkit]], [[Hibernate (Java)|Hibernate]]), and open source implementations of standards and tools (e.g. [[Apache Tomcat]], the [[GlassFish|GlassFish application server]], the [[Mule (software)|Mule]] and [[Apache ServiceMix]] [[Enterprise service bus]]es).

== Mascot ==
[[File:Duke (Java mascot) waving.svg|thumb|40px|Plain ol' Duke]]

Duke is Java's [[mascot]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oracle.com/us/technologies/java/duke-424174.html |title=Duke, the Java Mascot |publisher=[[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]] |accessdate=2011-11-12}}</ref>

When Sun announced that [[Java SE]] and [[Java ME]] would be released under a [[free software license]] (the [[GNU General Public License]]), they released the Duke graphics under the free [[BSD licenses|BSD license]] at the same time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://duke.dev.java.net/|title=duke: Project Home Page|publisher=[[Sun Microsystems]]|accessdate=2007-03-18}}</ref> A new Duke personality is created every year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oracle.com/us/technologies/java/duke-424174.html|title=Duke, the Java Mascot}}</ref> For example, in July 2011 "Future Tech Duke" included a bigger nose, a jetpack, and blue wings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.oracle.com/java/entry/future_tech_duke|title=Future Tech Duke (The Java Source)|publisher=Tori Wieldt|accessdate=2011-08-17}}</ref>

== Licensing ==
The source code for Sun's implementations of Java (i.e. the de facto reference implementation) has been available for some time, but until recently{{When|date=April 2016}}, the license terms severely restricted what could be done with it without signing (and generally paying for) a contract with Sun. As such these terms did not satisfy the requirements of either the [[Open Source Initiative]] or the [[Free Software Foundation]] to be considered open source or free software, and Sun Java was therefore a proprietary platform.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20060524112209579 |title=The Curious Incident of Sun in the Night-Time |first=Richard |last=Stallman |date=May 24, 2006 |work=Groklaw}}</ref>

While several third-party projects (e.g. [[GNU Classpath]] and [[Apache Harmony]]) created [[free software]] partial Java implementations, the large size of the Sun libraries combined with the use of [[Clean room design|clean room methods]] meant that their implementations of the Java libraries (the compiler and VM are comparatively small and well defined) were incomplete and not fully compatible. These implementations also tended to be far less optimized than Sun's.{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}

=== Free software ===
{{See also|OpenJDK}}
[[File:Jonathan Schwartz.jpg|thumb|upright|Jonathan Schwartz]]
[[Sun Microsystems|Sun]] announced in [[JavaOne]] 2006 that Java would become [[free software|free]] and [[open source software]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.sun.com/roller/page/jonathan/200606#busy_week1 |title=? |first=Jonathan |last=Schwartz |work=Jonathan Schwartz's Blog |publisher=Sun Microsystems}}{{deadlink|date=October 2017}}</ref> and on October 25, 2006, at the [[Oracle OpenWorld]] conference, [[Jonathan I. Schwartz]] said that the company was set to announce the release of the core [[#Platform|Java Platform]] as free and open source software within 30 to 60 days.<ref>{{cite web|author=Name * |url=http://www.formtek.com/blog/?p=116 |title=Oracle OpenWorld: UnBreakable Linux / 5015.2 not on the horizon &#124; Formtek Blog |publisher=Formtek.com |date=2006-10-26 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>

Sun released the Java HotSpot virtual machine and compiler as free software under the [[GNU General Public License]] on November 13, 2006, with a promise that the rest of the JDK (that includes the JRE) would be placed under the GPL by March 2007 ("except for a few components that Sun does not have the right to publish in distributable source form under the GPL").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sun.com/2006-1113/feature/index.jsp |title=Oracle and Sun Microsystems &#124; Strategic Acquisitions &#124; Oracle |publisher=Sun.com |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> According to [[Richard Stallman]], this would mean an end to the "Java trap".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/java-trap.html |title=Free but Shackled - The Java Trap - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation |publisher=Gnu.org |date=2004-04-12 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> [[Mark Shuttleworth]] called the initial press announcement, "A real milestone for the [[free software]] community".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6144748.stm | work=BBC News | title=Sun 'releases' Java to the World | date=November 13, 2006 | accessdate=May 6, 2010}}</ref>

Sun released the [[source code]] of the [[Java Class Library|Class library]] under [[GNU General Public License|GPL]] on May 8, 2007, except some limited parts that were licensed by Sun from third parties who did not want their code to be released under a free software and open-source license.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/announce/2007-May.txt | title=Open JDK is here! |publisher=Sun Microsystems |date=May 8, 2007 |accessdate=2007-05-09}}</ref> Some of the encumbered parts turned out to be fairly key parts of the platform such as font rendering and 2D rasterising, but these were released as open-source later by Sun (see [[OpenJDK#Class library|OpenJDK Class library]]).

Sun's goal was to replace the parts that remain proprietary and closed-source with alternative implementations and make the class library completely free and open source. In the meantime, a third-party project called [[IcedTea]] created a completely free and highly usable JDK by replacing encumbered code with either stubs or code from [[GNU Classpath]]. However OpenJDK has since become buildable without the encumbered parts (from OpenJDK 6 b10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/jdk6-dev/2008-June/000060.html |title=OpenJDK6 b10 source posted |date=2007-05-30 |accessdate=2008-07-12 |last=Wielaard |first=Mark}}</ref>) and has become the default runtime environment for most Linux distributions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-US/JBoss_Enterprise_Application_Platform/6/html/Administration_and_Configuration_Guide/Configure_the_Default_JDK_on_Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux.html | title=Redhat Java}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Java/FAQ | title=Fedora Java}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://wiki.debian.org/Java | title=Debian Java}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-java-with-apt-get-on-ubuntu-16-04 | title=Ubuntu Java}}</ref>  
  
In June 2008, it was announced that [[IcedTea]]6 (as the packaged version of OpenJDK on [[Fedora (Linux distribution)|Fedora 9]]) has passed the [[Technology Compatibility Kit]] tests and can claim to be a fully compatible Java 6 implementation.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://blog.softwhere.org/archives/196 
 |title=Java is finally Free and Open 
 |date=2008-06-19 
 |last=Sharples 
 |first=Rich 
 |deadurl=yes 
 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080620065024/http://blog.softwhere.org/archives/196 
 |archivedate=2008-06-20 
 |df= 
}}</ref>

Because OpenJDK is under the GPL, it is possible to redistribute a custom version of the JRE directly with software applications,<ref>{{cite web|author=libgdx |url=https://github.com/libgdx/libgdx/wiki/Bundling-a-jre |title=Bundling a jre · libgdx/libgdx Wiki · GitHub |publisher=Github.com |date=2013-12-09 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.java-gaming.org/index.php?PHPSESSID=ot5lti8ioobb2tv4q65e3vt402&topic=29070.0 |title=Question about bundling custom OpenJDK |publisher=Java-Gaming.org |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> rather than requiring the enduser (or their sysadmin) to download and install the correct version of the proprietary Oracle JRE onto each of their systems themselves.

== Criticism ==
{{Main article|Criticism of Java}}

In most cases, Java support is unnecessary in Web browsers, and security experts recommend that it not be run in a browser unless absolutely necessary.<ref>{{cite web|author=Graham Cluley |url=http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2013/01/15/disable-java-browsers-homeland-security/ |title="Unless it is absolutely necessary to run Java in web browsers, disable it", DHS-sponsored CERT team says – Naked Security |publisher=Nakedsecurity.sophos.com |date=2013-01-15 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> It was suggested that, if Java is required by a few Web sites, users should have a separate browser installation specifically for those sites.

=== Generics ===
{{Further information|Generics in Java}}

When [[generic programming|generics]] were added to Java 5.0, there was already a large framework of classes (many of which were already [[Deprecation|deprecated]]), so generics were chosen to be implemented using [[Generics in Java#Type erasure|erasure]] to allow for ''migration compatibility'' and re-use of these existing classes. This limited the features that could be provided by this addition as compared to some other languages.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ociweb.com/jnb/jnbJul2003.html |title=Generics in Java |publisher=Object Computing, Inc. |accessdate=2006-12-09 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102132948/http://www.ociweb.com/jnb/jnbJul2003.html |archivedate=2007-01-02 |df= }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.safalra.com/programming/java/wrong-type-erasure/ |title=What's Wrong With Java: Type Erasure |date=2006-12-06 |accessdate=2006-12-09}}</ref> The addition of type wildcards made Java unsound.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/namin/unsound/master/doc/unsound-oopsla16.pdf|title=Java and Scala’s Type Systems are Unsound}}</ref>

=== Unsigned integer types ===
Java lacks native [[integer (computer science)|unsigned integer]] types. Unsigned data are often generated from programs written in [[C (programming language)|C]] and the lack of these types prevents direct data interchange between C and Java. Unsigned large numbers are also used in many numeric processing fields, including cryptography, which can make Java less convenient to use for these tasks.<ref>
{{cite web
 | publisher=Oracle
 | work=Bug Database, Sun Developer Network
 | title=Java libraries should provide support for unsigned integer arithmetic
 | url=http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=4504839
 | accessdate=2011-01-18}}</ref>
Although it is possible to partially circumvent this problem with conversion code and using larger data types, it makes using Java cumbersome for handling the unsigned data. While a 32-bit signed integer may be used to hold a 16-bit unsigned value with relative ease, a 32-bit unsigned value would require a 64-bit signed integer. Additionally, a 64-bit unsigned value cannot be stored using any integer type in Java because no type larger than 64 bits exists in the Java language. If abstracted using functions, function calls become necessary for many operations which are native to some other languages. Alternatively, it is possible to use Java's signed integers to emulate unsigned integers of the same size, but this requires detailed knowledge of complex bitwise operations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://darksleep.com/player/JavaAndUnsignedTypes.html |title=Java and unsigned int, unsigned short, unsigned byte, unsigned long, etc. (Or rather, the lack thereof) |first=Sean R. |last=Owens |date=2009-11-05 |work=darksleep.com |accessdate=2010-10-09}}</ref>

=== Floating point arithmetic ===
While Java's floating point arithmetic is largely based on [[IEEE 754]] (''Standard for Binary Floating-Point Arithmetic''), certain features are not supported even when using the <code>[[strictfp]]</code> modifier, such as Exception Flags and Directed Roundings — capabilities mandated by IEEE Standard 754. Additionally, the extended precision floating-point types permitted in 754 and present in many processors are not permitted in Java.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~wkahan/JAVAhurt.pdf |title=How Java's Floating-Point Hurts Everyone Everywhere |first=W. |last=Kahan |author2=Joseph D. Darcy |format=PDF |date=1998-03-01 |accessdate=2006-12-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/typesValues.html#4.2.3 |title=Types, Values, and Variables |publisher=Sun Microsystems |accessdate=2006-12-09}}</ref>

=== Performance ===
{{Further information|Java performance}}

In the early days of Java (before the [[HotSpot|HotSpot VM]] was implemented in Java 1.3 in 2000) there were some criticisms of performance. However, [[The Computer Language Benchmarks Game|benchmarks]] typically report Java as being about 50% slower than C (a language which compiles to native code).<ref name=debchart>[http://shootout.alioth.debian.org/u64q/which-programming-languages-are-fastest.php Which programming languages are fastest? | Computer Language Benchmarks Game<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814034947/http://shootout.alioth.debian.org/u64q/which-programming-languages-are-fastest.php |date=August 14, 2011 }}</ref><ref>[http://shootout.alioth.debian.org/u64q/benchmark.php?test=all&lang=javasteady&lang2=gpp speed ÷ C++ GNU g++ speed | Computer Language Benchmarks Game<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926210432/http://shootout.alioth.debian.org/u64q/benchmark.php?test=all&lang=javasteady&lang2=gpp |date=September 26, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.cfelde.com/2010/06/c-vs-java-performance/ |title=C++ vs Java performance; It’s a tie! &#124; Blog of Christian Felde |publisher=Blog.cfelde.com |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>

[[Java performance|Java's performance]] has improved substantially since the early versions.<ref name="LewisNeumann">{{cite web|url=http://scribblethink.org/Computer/javaCbenchmark.html|title=Performance of Java versus C++|author=J.P.Lewis and Ulrich Neumann|publisher=Graphics and Immersive Technology Lab, [[University of Southern California]]}}</ref> Performance of [[JIT compiler]]s relative to native compilers has in some optimized tests been shown to be quite similar.<ref name="LewisNeumann"/><ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.kano.net/javabench/ |title=The Java Faster than C++ Benchmark |publisher=Kano.net |date=2003-11-14 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref><ref name=":1">[http://research.sun.com/techrep/2002/smli_tr-2002-114.pdf FreeTTS – A Performance Case Study] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325195557/http://research.sun.com/techrep/2002/smli_tr-2002-114.pdf |date=2009-03-25 }}, Willie Walker, Paul Lamere, Philip Kwok</ref>

[[Java bytecode]] can either be interpreted at run time by a virtual machine, or it can be compiled at load time or runtime into native code which runs directly on the computer's hardware. Interpretation is slower than native execution, and compilation at load time or runtime has an initial performance penalty for the compilation. Modern performant JVM implementations all use the compilation approach, so after the initial startup time the performance is equivalent to native code.

=== Security ===
{{Further information|Java security}}

The Java platform provides a security architecture<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/technotes/guides/security/spec/security-spec.doc.html |title=Java Security Architecture: Contents |publisher=Docs.oracle.com |date=1998-10-02 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> which is designed to allow the user to run untrusted bytecode in a "sandboxed" manner to protect against malicious or poorly written software. This "sandboxing" feature is intended to protect the user by restricting access to certain platform features and APIs which could be exploited by [[malware]], such as accessing the local filesystem, running arbitrary commands, or accessing communication networks.

In recent years, researchers have discovered numerous security flaws in some widely used Java implementations, including Oracle's, which allow untrusted code to bypass the sandboxing mechanism, exposing users to malicious attacks. These flaws affect only Java applications which execute arbitrary untrusted bytecode, such as web browser plug-ins that run Java applets downloaded from public websites. Applications where the user trusts, and has full control over, all code that is being executed are unaffected.

On August 31, 2012, Java 6 and 7 on Microsoft Windows, [[macOS]], and Linux were found to have a serious security flaw that allowed a [[Exploit (computer security)|remote exploit]] to take place by simply loading a malicious web page.<ref>{{cite web|last=Horowitz |first=Michael |url=http://blogs.computerworld.com/cybercrime-and-hacking/20921/java-security-flaw-yada-yada-yada |title=Java security flaw: yada yada yada &#124; Computerworld |publisher=Blogs.computerworld.com |date=2012-08-31 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> {{nowrap|Java 5}} was later found to be flawed as well.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brook |first=Chris |url=http://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/new-zero-day-vulnerability-found-java-5-6-and-7-11-billion-desktops-affected-092612 |title=The first stop for security news |publisher=Threatpost |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>

On January 10, 2013, three computer specialists spoke out against Java, telling [[Reuters]] that it was not secure and that people should disable Java. Jaime Blasco, Labs Manager with AlienVault Labs, stated that "Java is a mess. It’s not secure. You have to disable it."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/50438206/ns/technology_and_science-innovation/t/why-how-disable-java-your-computer-now#.UhJ652RrMdg |title=Why and How to Disable Java on Your Computer Now - Technology & science - Innovation |publisher=NBC News |date=2013-01-12 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>
This vulnerability affects {{nowrap|Java 7}} and it is unclear if it affects {{nowrap|Java 6}}, so it is suggested that consumers disable it.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/eliseackerman/2013/01/11/us-department-of-homeland-security-calls-on-computer-users-to-disable-java/ |title=US Department of Homeland Security Calls On Computer Users To Disable Java |publisher=Forbes.com |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brook |first=Chris |url=http://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/nasty-new-java-zero-day-found-exploit-kits-already-have-it-011013 |title=The first stop for security news |publisher=Threatpost |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> Security alerts from Oracle announce schedules of critical security-related patches to Java.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/alerts-086861.html |title=Critical Patch Updates and Security Alerts |publisher=Oracle.com |date= |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>

On January 14, 2013, security experts said that the update still failed to protect PCs from attack.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jim Finkle |url=http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/emergency-patch-for-java-fails-to-fix-cybercrime-holes-warn-experts-3351321.html |title=Emergency patch for Java fails to fix cybercrime holes, warn experts |publisher=Independent.ie |date=2013-01-14 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref> This exploit hole prompted a response from the [[United States Department of Homeland Security]] encouraging users to disable or uninstall Java.<ref name ="Homeland Security">{{cite web|last=Whittaker |first=Zack |url=http://www.zdnet.com/homeland-security-warns-to-disable-java-amid-zero-day-flaw-7000009713/ |title=Homeland Security warns to disable Java amid zero-day flaw |publisher=ZDNet |date=2013-01-11 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>  Apple blacklisted Java in limited order for all computers running its [[macOS]] operating system through a virus protection program.<ref>{{cite web|author=Meghan Kelly January 14, 2013 3:26 PM |url=https://venturebeat.com/2013/01/14/java-fix-issued/ |title=Oracle issues fix for Java exploit after DHS warns of its holes &#124; VentureBeat &#124; Security &#124; by Meghan Kelly |publisher=VentureBeat |date=2013-01-14 |accessdate=2016-02-09}}</ref>

Responding to recent Java security and vulnerability issues, security blogger [[Brian Krebs]] has called for users to remove at least the Java browser plugin and also the entire software. "I look forward to a world without the Java plugin (and to not having to remind readers about quarterly patch updates) but it will probably be years before various versions of this plugin are mostly removed from end-user systems worldwide.""<ref>{{cite web|last1=Krebs|first1=Brian|title=Good Riddance to Oracle’s Java Plugin|url=http://krebsonsecurity.com/2016/02/good-riddance-to-oracles-java-plugin/|website=KrebsOnSecurity|date=16 February 2016}}</ref> "Once promising, it has outlived its usefulness in the browser, and has become a nightmare that delights cyber-criminals at the expense of computer users."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gonsalves|first1=Antone|title=Java Is No Longer Needed. Pull The Plug-In|url=http://readwrite.com/2012/09/05/java-is-no-longer-needed-pull-the-plug-in|website=ReadWrite|publisher=Wearable World|date=5 September 2012}}</ref> "I think everyone should uninstall Java from all their PCs and Macs, and then think carefully about whether they need to add it back. If you are a typical home user, you can probably do without it. If you are a business user, you may not have a choice."<ref>{{cite web|title=Java: should you remove it?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2013/feb/08/java-remove-ask-jack-technology|website=[[theguardian.com]]|publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]]|date=8 February 2013}}</ref>

=== Adware ===
The Java runtime environment has a history of bundling sponsored software to be installed by default during installation and during the updates which roll out every month or so. This includes the "[[Ask.com#Ask Toolbar controversy|Ask.com toolbar]]" that will redirect browser searches to ads and "McAfee Security Scan Plus".<ref name=foistware>{{cite web|last1=Bott|first1=Ed|title=A close look at how Oracle installs deceptive software with Java updates|url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/a-close-look-at-how-oracle-installs-deceptive-software-with-java-updates/|website=ZDNet.com|publisher=ZDNet|accessdate=14 December 2014}}</ref> These offers can be blocked through a setting in the Java Control Panel, although this is not obvious. This setting is located under the "Advanced" tab in the Java Control Panel, under the "Miscellaneous" heading, where the option is labelled as an option to suppress "sponsor offers".

=== Update system ===
Java is yet to release an automatic updater that does not require user intervention and administrative rights<ref>{{cite web|url=http://superuser.com/questions/312319/how-do-i-update-java-from-a-non-admin-account|title=How do I update Java from a non-admin account?}}</ref> unlike Google Chrome<ref>{{cite web|url=https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414?hl=en|title=Update Google Chrome}}</ref> and Flash player.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsb14-13.html|title=Adobe Security Bulletin}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Java}}

* [[List of Java APIs]]
* [[Java Logging Frameworks]]
* [[Java performance]]
* [[JavaFX]]
* [[Jazelle]]
* [[Java ConcurrentMap]]
* [[List of computing mascots]]
* [[:Category:Computing mascots]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikiversity|Learning Java}}
{{Wiktionary|Java}}
{{Wikibooks|Java Programming}}
{{Spoken Wikipedia|En-Java (software platform).ogg|2013-08-19}}

* {{Official website}}
* [http://java.sun.com/ sun.com – Official developer site]
* [http://www.infoq.com/presentations/gosling-jvm-lang-summit-keynote infoq.com – Presentation] by [[James Gosling]] about the origins of Java, from the JVM Languages Summit 2008
* [http://www.javatechworld.com/search/label/Java%20Dscussion]
* [http://www.javatechworld.com/ Java Tips organization]
* [http://www.java-forums.org/forum.php Java forums organization]
* [http://javatopics77.blogspot.com/ Java Introduction], May 14, 2014, Java77 Blog
* [http://www.javatechworld.com – What Version of Java Are You Using?], tells you which version you are using
* '''[http://singularlabs.com/software/javara/ JavaRa]''', a utility developed by Paul McLain and Fred De Vries at ''RaProducts'' to find and remove older versions of Java, now distributed by ''SingularLabs''
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipkqu2bKxYg J'''ava''' History]

{{Java (Sun)}}
{{Sun Microsystems}}
{{Integrated development environments}}

[[Category:Computing platforms]]
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[[Category:Java platform]]