Jakarta EE version history and important changes

Jakarta EE, previously known as Java EE (Java Platform, Enterprise Edition) is an open source framework for developing cloud native Java applications. Jakarta EE is the standard, a set of specifications for Java enterprise application development: Jakarta Servlet, Jakarta Pages, Jakarta Enterprise Beans, … (to name a few).

This article helps you understand the evolution of Jakarta EE in terms of major versions released in its history. As you can see, the table below lists Jakarta EE versions from the day it originates from Java EE till date:

The latest stable version is Jakarta EE 10 which requires Java SE version 11 as the minimum. And the next version Jakarta EE 11 is still under development (expected to be release in June/July 2024). Check this article to get more in-depth understanding about Jakarta EE.

Important Changes in Jakarta EE Versions

Since moving to the Eclipse Foundation, Jakarta EE has seen several significant releases, each introducing important updates and improvements to the platform. Here’s a summary of the key changes across the major Jakarta EE versions:

Jakarta EE 8 (2019)

• Transition to Eclipse Foundation: The Java EE platform was transferred from Oracle to the Eclipse Foundation, where it was rebranded as Jakarta EE.
• No New Features: Jakarta EE 8 maintained compatibility with Java EE 8 but marked the transition to a new governance model.

Jakarta EE 9 (2020)

• Namespace Change: The major change in Jakarta EE 9 was the renaming of all Java EE packages from javax.* to jakarta.*.
• No New Features: This release was focused on making the namespace change and did not introduce new features or APIs.

Jakarta EE 9.1 (2021)

• Java SE 11 Support: Official support for running Jakarta EE on Java SE 11.
• Minor Updates: Focused on providing compatibility and enabling an easier transition to Jakarta EE.

Jakarta EE 10 (2022)

• Core Profile: Introduction of a new profile targeting lightweight microservices architectures.
• Enhancements Across APIs: Updates to many specifications, including CDI 4.0, JPA 3.1, and Servlet 6.0, among others.
• New Features: New capabilities in existing APIs, with a continued emphasis on modern cloud-native development.

Jakarta EE 11 (2024)

• Alignment with Java SE 21: Compatibility with the latest Java SE features, including pattern matching and records.
• Enhanced Core Profile: Further improvements to support lightweight and microservices-based applications.
• CDI 5.0: Updates to improve performance and ease of use in cloud environments.
• Servlet 7.0: Enhancements for modern HTTP standards, possibly including HTTP/3 support.
• Better Cloud-Native Integration: Improved integration with cloud-native environments and DevOps tools for easier deployment and scaling.

References:

• Jakarta EE Home page
• Jakarta EE Specifications
• Jakarta EE Documentation

Learn about Java EE core technologies:

• Java Servlet Tutorials
• JavaServer Pages (JSP) Tutorials
• JavaMail Tutorials
• Java Web Services Tutorials

About the Author:

Nam Ha Minh is certified Java programmer (SCJP and SCWCD). He began programming with Java back in the days of Java 1.4 and has been passionate about it ever since. You can connect with him on Facebook and watch his Java videos on YouTube.