Top 7 Reasons To Migrate From Java 8 to Java 17

In the World of Information Technology and Programming, Java is constantly evolving to empower developers as well as enhance application development. It’s very important to stay up-to-date with the technologies to bring advancement within yourself as well as in the organizations. Java 8 has been a reliable choice, but If you’re a Java Developer then you must know how to be well-informed about current advancements in technology.

So, if you look at the version of Java 8 it has been a fountain for the developers, which definitely offers efficient tools and dynamic capabilities for Software Development, as of now it’s time to change the developing environment with exciting features of Java 17 and improvement which will take the developers programming skills to new heights. In this blog, we’ll dive into the advantages of Java 17 and showcase real-world examples that will give you a clear view of the current scenario of advancing technology with the latest version from Java 8 to Java 17 as well as developers can put to good use of this version.

Why Migrate From Java 8 to Java 17?

Migrating from Java 8 to Java 17 brings performance enhancements, language improvements, security updates, better tool support, bug fixes, and long-term support. It allows you to take advantage of newer features of Java. So let’s explore some of the best reasons to migrate from Java 8 to Java 17.

1. Enhanced Performance

The latest version of Java Illustrates the Java Virtual Machines (JVM) speed with optimizing features such as ahead-of-time (AOT) which improves the performance of Java Programs and reduces the application startup time of Java Virtual Machines (JVM), also improves the garbage collection mechanisms and strengthen the just-in-time (JIT) compilation which gives more responsiveness to the users, that results in the faster and more efficient Java applications. 

Example:

Suppose you have a web application, which you had upgraded to Java 17 that reduces the page load times, and ensures that users can access content very faster and will have an enjoyable seamless browsing experience to respective users. 

2. Improved Security

Security for our applications is a critical aspect for every developer who is always in search of giving the best features with high reliability and security. In Java 17 there are upgraded security features that will help to protect users’ data and will ensure the integrity of Java applications, where you can also ensure that your applications are more robust, reliable as well as less prone to security threats. In view of improving security, it focuses on resolving known security vulnerabilities that may exist in the previous version of Java. It reduces the probability of unauthorized access and makes malicious free attacks on your application.

Example:

Imagine that you have an e-commerce Java application that handles sensitive customer information, now you are upgrading to Java 17 which will strengthen security measures and secures the user data from various attacks, which could be data breaches or unauthorized access. 

3. Language-Level Enhancement

Java 17 describes the language-level improvements, which lead to pattern matching for the switch statements and sealed classes and interfaces. These latest features of Java 17, will make your code crisp, more to the point, and justifiable in your complete development experience. 

Example:

Let’s traverse some of the language-level enhancements in Java 17 examples, such as Pattern Matching for switch cases, Sealed Classes, and Interfaces. It helps in improving code clarity and reduces the chances of introducing errors. Let’s have a method that takes an object which performs different activities based on its type. So, here in Java 17, this gives an exciting feature Pattern Matching which you can use directly in the switch statement which will definitely eliminate the need for explicit type casting. 

4. Seamless Integration with Modern Frameworks

The seamless integration in Java 17 version is the most important feature and also an advantage for all Java developers, this refers to smooth workflow, providing smooth transactions between the different components and technologies, and effortless integration with different components in Java. In the context of Java development, seamless integration refers to the ability of Java that work seamlessly with modern frameworks, libraries, and tools that integrates Java development such as Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) and building tools IDEs like Eclipse, NetBeans, IntelliJ IDEA that provides seamless integration with Java, and technologies that enable developers to leverage the latest advancements within the community which take the advantage of progressive technologies which gives you a faster and more efficient development with its capabilities and build more powerful Java applications. Java 17 has seamless integration with a variety of frameworks such as Spring Framework, Hibernate, Jakarta EE (formerly Java EE) is a set of enterprise-level specifications and APIs for building Java applications, Apache Kafka, Spark, Quakus which is a Kubernetes-native Java framework, whereas every framework has a unique feature in it, that will enhance the interoperability, and empowering the developers to leverage their capabilities. 

Example:

Building a Web Application with the functionality of Spring Boot framework and Java 17. Spring Boot is a broader concept widely used in building Java applications. By using the exciting features of Java 17, the integration between Spring Boot framework and Java becomes even more seamless. Imagine that you are developing an e-commerce platform that definitely requires a backend system for handling the order processing, product management, user authentication, and payment transactions between different vendors, combining the Spring Boot Framework with Java 17 that will enhance the efficiency of your Java application and will give an efficient development workflow. 

5. Long-Term Support (LTS)

The latest version of Java 17 has the long-term support (LTS) version, which leads to extended support to the applications from the Java community, the version also ensures that the user must be having the stability in platform with well organized and maintained platform of user’s applications. 

Example:

Let’s imagine you are building a business application that needs to be maintained and updated regularly, so that if you migrate from Java 8 to Java 17, then you will ensure that your Java application is still compatible with future Java releases as compared to the previous version functionality. 

6. Extended APIs and Libraries

Java has already expanded features and functionality with its inbuilt APIs and libraries which developing advanced applications day by day, but Java 17 has an upgrade with more improving functionalities from the streaming data that processes the operations with appropriate methods like ‘Stream.toList()’, that holding the reactive programming by strengthening the JDBC API, which increases the flexibility and capabilities of the applications. 

Example:

This example will give you a sharpness with the Java 17 functionalities, You’re a Java developer and you want to integrate the weather API into an application that will retrieve and display current weather data. So, Java 17 extended APIs that provide a more flexible and modern way to interact with web services and retrieve data. 

7. Community and Resources

In the advancing technology era, technologies are upcoming with more upgradation within the more exciting inbuilt classes and its magical features, So migrating from Java 8 to Java 17 will lead the user to its desirable applications and makes developers effortless because it holds more features as compared to the previous version, which access to a vibrant community of the Java developers. This version community provides collaboration, support, and a well-being environment for both users as well as developers. This version adds more learning and crazy features of Java. 

Example:

Leveraging the Java Community and Resources for Big Data Processing.

Most Exciting Adds-on Features of Java 17

1. Pattern Matching for the Switch Statements

In the following examples, we have an ‘Object’ called ‘obj’ which holds an ‘Integer’ or ‘String’ value. The ‘switchWithPatternMatching’ method helps us to use patterns directly in case of statements, whereas the ‘->’ this operator allows us to separate the pattern from the code to execute, this will give you a look at how pattern matching displays the simplifying switch statements that will allow you straight use of pattern in case statements. By leveraging pattern matching, the code becomes readable and more concise, and less error-prone which makes it easier to work with different types and patterns.

Java

import java.io.*;

public class PatternMatchingExample {

    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        Object obj = "GFG";
        switchWithPatternMatching(obj);
    }

    public static void switchWithPatternMatching(Object obj)
    {
        switch (obj) {
            case Integer integer -> {
                // Pattern matching: obj is of type Integer
                System.out.println("Received an Integer: " + integer);
            }
            case String text -> {
                // Pattern matching: obj is of type String
                System.out.println("Received a String: " + text);
            }
            default -> {
                // Pattern matching: obj does not match any known type
                System.out.println("Received an unknown object");
            }
        }
    }
}

Output:

Received a String: GFG 

2. Sealed Classes and Interfaces

This provides more control over the classes’ Interface, in the below example we have combined the instantiation of ‘car’ and the ‘motorcycle’ within a single line by separating them by comma, using this feature reduces the number of lines in code also give a simplified interface to the code and improve its functionality of code. Following are some of the advantages of sealed classes and interfaces: 

• Enhancing control over class Inheritance which is provided by sealed classes and interfaces by explicitly specifying which classes or interfaces could be subclasses or implementers. 
• Improving the Code Readability and Maintainability, by which classes and interfaces become more clear that intended to extend or implement a sealed type. 
• Support for Exhaustive Pattern Matching in switch statements.
• Facilities API Evolution that evolves APIs over time while maintaining backward compatibility. 
• Enhanced Security and Stability by explicitly specifying the allowed subclasses or implementers, which reduces the risk of unintended or malicious code being introduced via unauthorized inheritance.

Java

public sealed interface Vehicle permits Car, Motorcycle {
    void start();
    void stop();
}

public final class Car implements Vehicle {
    public void start()
    {
        System.out.println("Car started");
    }
    public void stop()
    {
        System.out.println("Car stopped");
    }
}

public final class Motorcycle implements Vehicle {
    public void start()
    {
        System.out.println("Motorcycle started");
    }
    public void stop()
    {
        System.out.println("Motorcycle stopped");
    }
}

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        Vehicle car = new Car(), motorcycle
                                 = new Motorcycle();
        car.start();
        car.stop();
        motorcycle.start();
        motorcycle.stop();
    }
}

Output:

Car started 
Car stopped 
Motorcycle started 
Motorcycle stopped 

3. Stream.toList() Method

Java 17 introduces the exciting feature of the ‘toList()’ method, which will allow developers to easily transform a stream into a ‘List’ without adding additional collectors or conversions. Java 17 offers improved performance, readability, simplicity, and also integration with pattern matching. It enhances overall the development experience when developers work with streams in Java.

Below is the implementation of the above method:

Java

import java.util.List;
import java.util.stream.Collectors;
import java.util.stream.Stream;

public class StreamExample {
    public List<String> convertToList()
    {
        // Create a stream of strings
        Stream<String> stream
            = Stream.of("Apple", "Banana", "Orange");

        // Convert the stream to a list
        List<String> list
            = stream.collect(Collectors.toList());

        // Return the resulting list
        return list;
    }
}

Output:

[Apple, Banana, Orange]

4. Improved JDBC API

The latest version of Java enhanced the JDBC API with the improving support for reactive programming, below example illustrates the retrieving data from the database with the help of the upgraded version.

Java

import java.sql.Connection;
import java.sql.DriverManager;
import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
import java.sql.ResultSet;
import java.sql.SQLException;

public class JdbcExample {

    // Replace placeholders with actual values for your
    // database connection
    private static final String url
        = "jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/mydatabase";
    private static final String username = "your username";
    private static final String password = "your-password";

    public void retrieveData()
    {
        try (Connection connection
             = DriverManager.getConnection(url, username,
                                           password)) {
            String sql = "SELECT * FROM employees";
            PreparedStatement statement
                = connection.prepareStatement(sql);
            ResultSet resultSet = statement.executeQuery();

            while (resultSet.next()) {
                int employeeId
                    = resultSet.getInt("employee_id");
                String firstName
                    = resultSet.getString("first_name");
                String lastName
                    = resultSet.getString("last_name");

                System.out.println("Employee ID: "
                                   + employeeId);
                System.out.println("First Name: "
                                   + firstName);
                System.out.println("Last Name: "
                                   + lastName);
                System.out.println(
                    "----------------------");
            }
        }
        catch (SQLException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        JdbcExample example = new JdbcExample();
        example.retrieveData();
    }
}

Output:

Employee ID: 1
First Name: John 
Last Name: Doe
---------------------------------------------------------
Employee ID: 2
First Name: Jane  
Last Name: Smith
---------------------------------------------------------
Employee ID: 3
First Name: Mike  
Last Name: Johnson

Conclusion

Migrating from Java 8 to Java 17 opens up a world full of opportunities for Java developers, features in Java 17 attract Java developers by its faster speed, flexibility, compatibility, and reliability providing to the applications, and making simplified coding as well as improved development environment also providing more security and making the experience more enjoyable. Java 17 provides a foundation for robust and modern applications. 

Ignite your Java Programming journey with the Thrill of Coding in Java 17, Experience the Boundless Power of Java 17 and Supercharge your Java Programming Skills.