All good things come in 24 - at least in the latest Oracle release of Java 24. Developers can look forward to two dozen JEPs (JDK Enhancement Proposals) that offer them new opportunities to make their code more secure and perform better. In addition, completely new technologies will be introduced into the JAVA universe.

XDEV is one of the few voices of the global Java community to be listed in Oracle's official press release, which makes us very proud and is a confirmation of our day-to-day efforts. In the Java ecosystem, we are by no means just trying to be users, but want to constantly drive forward the development of this fascinating and remarkable technology.

In the latest release, Oracle is now setting a strong example for productivity, security and sustainability in software development. A total of 24 improvements have been implemented - from new language functions and security mechanisms to modern APIs for AI-supported applications. A key highlight: the introduction of so-called “stream gatherers”. These enable developers to process complex data streams much more efficiently and readably.

Our CEO Richard Fichtner was asked for his opinion on this particular feature and was quoted as follows:  “Java 24 introduces Stream Gatherers, a powerful enhancement that gives developers fine-grained control over how elements are grouped and processed within streams. This makes complex data transformations more expressive and efficient. I love the feature because it eliminates workarounds like custom collectors or flatMap gymnastics, allowing for more readable and maintainable stream pipelines.”

Highlights of Java 24 at a glance:

Productivity & language features

• Stream Gatherers (JEP 485): New option for efficient data processing in streams - more flexible than previous collectors.
• Primitive Types in Pattern Matching (JEP 488): More standardized and expressive language - e.g. for switch and instanceof.
• Flexible Constructor Bodies (JEP 492): Improved readability and structure in constructors.
• Module Import Declarations (JEP 494): Easier reuse of modules, especially helpful for beginners.
• Simple Source Files (JEP 495): Getting started with Java is made easier - ideal for learners and small tools.

Security & Post-Quantum Cryptography

• Quantum-Resistant Key Encapsulation & Signatures (JEP 496 & 497): Preparing for the post-quantum era - higher security for communication and data.
• Key Derivation API (JEP 478): Secure key derivation for modern encryption applications.

Performance & Runtime

• Compact Object Headers (JEP 450): Less memory consumption, higher efficiency.
• Vector API (JEP 489): Optimized for compute-intensive applications such as AI models.
• Structured Concurrency (JEP 499): Simplified handling of parallel tasks - more robust code.
• Ahead-of-Time Class Loading (JEP 483): Faster start times for applications.
• Synchronize Virtual Threads (JEP 491): Better scalability for modern Java applications.

Tools & Developer Convenience

• Linking without JMODs (JEP 493): Smaller runtime environments, more flexibility in deployment.
• Class-File API (JEP 484): Better tools for working with Java class structures.
• Scoped Values (JEP 487): Improved handling of cross-thread data.