Java 11 and Java 17 Lead Java Usage, Azul Survey Finds

Java 11 and Java 17, designated as Long Term Support (LTS) versions by Oracle, emerge as the most widely adopted Java versions, closely followed by Java 8, according to a recent survey conducted by Java software provider Azul.

Released in September 2018, Java 11 and September 2020, Java 17 were reported as the primary choices for 48% and 45% of respondents, respectively. Meanwhile, Java 8, an LTS version released in March 2014, maintained substantial usage at 40%. These insights were published in the Azul State of Java Survey and Report 2023 on October 24. The report draws from a global survey of 2,062 Java professionals and users of Java-based applications conducted in May and June.

The survey also highlighted that 85% of respondents employed an LTS version of Java, indicating a preference for versions backed by Oracle’s long-term support commitments. Additionally, 64% of respondents reported using more than one Java version concurrently. Azul noted a positive trend moving beyond Java 8 to newer LTS versions, suggesting that application teams have successfully navigated interoperability challenges introduced post-Java 9, released in September 2017.

Java’s release cadence includes new versions every six months, with LTS releases arriving every two years from Oracle. Non-LTS releases, also known as feature releases, receive only six months of support and are typically skipped by many organizations. The most recent LTS release, JDK 21, debuted in September, underlining the ongoing evolution and support lifecycle of Java versions.

Overall, the survey underscores the strategic adoption patterns of Java LTS versions among developers and organizations, reflecting a balance between stability and access to new features in the Java ecosystem.

Azul found that 85% of respondents used an LTS version of Java, meaning the Java version is backed by several years of support from Oracle, and 64% used more than one Java version. Azul said it was encouraged to see critical mass move beyond Java 8 to more recent LTS versions, adding this likely indicated that application teams had moved beyond interoperability issues introduced in Java 9, which arrived in September 2017.

New releases of Java are published every six months, with LTS versions from Oracle arriving every two years. Short-term releases, or feature releases, get just six months of support, and are published when an LTS release is not due. It is common practice for companies to skip these feature releases, Azul said. The latest release of Java,  JDK 21, was published in September as an LTS release.