Oracle has announced the general availability of JDK 24, bringing new enhancements across the Java language, libraries, runtime, and security. This release introduces 24 major JDK Enhancement Proposals (JEPs), including preview features and incubator APIs, to improve Java's performance, security, and usability.

Key language improvements include support for primitive types in pattern matching, flexible constructor bodies, and module import declarations. The Stream API gains new capabilities, and enhancements in structured concurrency and scoped values improve multithreading efficiency. Performance updates include compact object headers, improved garbage collection, and ahead-of-time class loading for faster startup times.

Security advancements introduce quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms, while the JDK’s overall size is reduced by removing outdated components like the Windows 32-bit x86 port. Other notable changes include new TLS configuration options, updated Unicode support, and enhancements to Java’s monitoring and debugging tools.

JDK 24 will be supported until September 2025, after which it will be replaced by JDK 25. Oracle acknowledges contributions from industry leaders like Amazon, Google, IBM, Red Hat, and independent developers, reinforcing Java’s position as a leading programming platform.