Is there any consideration to package an EA version based on JDK 21

[Ron Pressler]

> On 15 May 2024, at 04:02, qia nxiao <zenghuichen1997 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I would like to ask if there is any consideration to package an EA version based on JDK 21. JDK 21 is an LTS version, and my applications are planned to stay on this version for a longer period of time.


No, because an LTS service is a new(ish) kind of release train created for the sole purpose of offering a release train for applications that value stability over all else and least of all want any new features or significant enhancements. This is something that didn’t exist in the old model of releases, prior to JDK 9, where large and potentially disruptive features as well as security patches and bug fixes were mixed in different kinds of “minor updates”, hurting those applications that needed stability. Clearly, adding a big enhancement that entails deep changes to the runtime in updates that are especially made to exclude them would defeat their only purpose.

An application that chooses to remain on an old version and use an LTS service’s updates is one that, by that very choice expresses that is not interested and/or cannot take advantage of enhancements. If an application is interested in big enhancements it can use the “tip” version — a model that is a little more similar to the traditional one.

— Ron