6 Latest Features In Java Every Developer Should Know About

Programming languages get updated with new features and changes regularly.

This is why it’s essential that you as a developer, take the necessary steps to make sure that you know what the latest features are. For Java, some key features are clear standouts this 2021 and these can maximize what you can do with it.

Java is still one of the top programming languages this 2021 so it’s a must that you stay in the loop about what it’s capable of. Things have been dynamic for the programming language lately as now, more developers have easier access to Java in general.

As per reports, the Microsoft Build of Open JDK has been made available to the public at no-cost distribution. This programming language build has binaries for Java 11 as well. It’s available for desktop environments on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Simply put, things are looking good for Java.

If you want to dive deep into Java this year, then here are a few important features that you might not want to miss out on.

Microservices

Microservices are an extension of RESTful web services. What this does is that it basically helps break up your code. It turns it into smaller, distributable, and independent services. This makes the program better in terms of development, deployment, and management.

The best use of the feature is for the public cloud as it can easily manage dynamic scaling through on-demand resources. However, microservices in Java do require a lot of practice and know-how to master. We suggest taking classes and practicing it on test runs first before you use it somewhere productive.

Var Keyword

One of the common problems that programmers face when using variables in Java is that you can only use the specified data type when you declare a variable. Since being introduced in Java 10, the var keyword has become one of the most useful features in Java programming.

Thanks to var, you can now create variables that can hold any data type. To do this, you simply need to declare the variable with the var keyword. In doing so, you are no longer required to specify the data type to be used in the variable on your code.

It can be a bit challenging to incorporate this new feature into your code but it’s essential that you do if you want to lessen the mistakes you make. If your team is up to a hardware project more than a software developing project, you should ask for an external service to help sort things out. For HPE Server Maintenance, you can contact XSi and let them do the hard work.

Java Module

Added with Java 9 are modules. Basically, this is a feature that allows you to package a Java app or an API and turn it into a Java module. A single module can contain more than one package too so it’s good for file compression. If you do package an app this way, it will be made available as a JAR file.

This is one of the most helpful features to be added to Java because JDK files are getting bigger and bigger. By converting them into JAR files, you can create smaller units of the JDK. What this means from a broader perspective is that your app can be made accessible even on devices that have limited storage capacity.

Since file compression is made better with modules, you can now create better apps or programs without having to create a large digital footprint for your app. It’s a good answer to today’s common dilemma that files are getting bigger and bigger while storage capacities of devices remain relatively the same.

Java Record

Another useful feature added to Java recently is Record. This new feature is used to define immutable data-only classes while programming. It’s useful for holding records that are often acquired from remote database queries, service calls, and CSV files as well.

Record is best used if your programming code is filled with various fields and it makes it harder to keep track of the current state. It’s a new feature that benefits programmers mostly as it makes code organization a lot easier to handle than what you might have been used to in Java.

Cloud Programming

A lot of companies are now shifting to the clouds. Actually, almost every major company is shifting to it. Cloud (AWS) services have long been a feature on Java and it’s high time that you master it as well. It’s going to help you stay competitive amidst these cloud-oriented times.

There are various cloud platforms that can help you with Java. Some recommendable programs include Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. These programs will position me towards being able to accommodate cloud requests as a programmer.

Although a lot of companies have already shifted to the cloud, it’s not yet too late to brush up on your skills about it. Cloud programming can be challenging to learn but it is rewarding considering that all industries are poised for cloud migration eventually.

Foreign Memory Access

Foreign memory access was introduced back in Java 14 but it was only an incubating feature back then. Although it’s still in the incubation stage, the new version of Java has introduced an assortment of new features which further improve upon this long-awaited addition. Before we talk about those new features, let’s first understand what foreign memory is. This is basically any memory that is outside the managed JVM heap. It can’t be subject to garbage collection. Most importantly though, it cannot handle large memory segments as well.

The new upgrade to foreign memory includes a new VarHandle API which allows you to customize memory access var handles. It also has better support for mapped memory segments. All-in-all, these new additions can make foreign memory more useful to programmers once the feature fully launches. Sadly, we’ve yet to know whether it can launch completely this year but it seems unlikely to get out of the incubation stage for now.

These new features in Java not only improve your programming capacity, but it also opens a world of possibilities when it comes to what you can create. Learning to master these tools early in your programming journey this year is going to be very beneficial for what you are capable of.