Java 9: It's Heeeere

After months of delays, waiting, and rework, JDK 9 arrived yesterday!

Whether you're in it for the JPMS, JShell, convenience factory methods, and/or any of the myriad other features introduced, chances are that you're over the moon. So, instead of rehashing the long, storied journey of Project Jigsaw or touching on what REPL means for Java, let's cut to the chase and get the tools you want into your hands, then take a look around the web to see what's going on.

The Basics

• JDK 9 download
• JDK 9 features
• Oracle's JDK 9 documentation
• Mark Reinhold's GA announcement

Support, Tips, and Tutorials

A couple of weeks back, I compiled some of my favorite DZone tutorials that focused on Java 9's new features. Feel free to take a look at that for inspiration. Meanwhile, here's what others are doing to bring JDK 9 into the fold of their products and services.

Of course, you probably already know what you have in store for Java 9. With that in mind, hopefully, this quick news update serves to put some useful tips and support announcements at your fingertips so you can dive in.

Given the commotion that sprang up earlier this year surrounding modularity, it's also probably a good time to stop and reflect on the hard work that went into the JCP. Tempers flared to be sure, but now that JDK 9 is generally available, it seems like a distant memory. It also brings to mind the importance of being a part of the process, rather than sitting on the sidelines. If you have the time available, consider joining the program. Java's future is only as bright as the community, and projects this big are definitely group efforts. 

With that in mind, we'll close here. Hopefully, you have what you need to get started, so there's little time to waste! The wait is over, so grab some java (terrible pun intended) and dive into your weekend with everything Java 9 offers at your disposal.