Java 8 is a version of the Java programming language and the associated software development platform.
It was released in March 2014 and introduced several new features and enhancements to the language, including lambda expressions, functional interfaces, method references, streams, and the new Date-Time API.
Lambda expressions, for example, allow for more concise and expressive code by enabling the use of anonymous functions.
Functional interfaces provide a way to declare interfaces with a single abstract method, which are commonly used in conjunction with lambda expressions.
Method references provide a way to refer to methods or constructors without invoking them, while streams provide a way to process collections of data in a functional style.
The Date-Time API introduced in Java 8 provides a more comprehensive and powerful way to work with dates and times, replacing the less flexible and error-prone Date and Calendar classes.
Overall, Java 8 represents a significant evolution of the Java programming language and provides developers with new tools and capabilities to write more efficient and expressive code.
What is so different about Java8?
Java 8 introduced several new features and enhancements that make it significantly different from previous versions of Java.
Here are some of the key differences:
- Lambda expressions: Lambda expressions enable the use of functional programming constructs in Java, making it possible to write more concise and expressive code.
- Functional interfaces: Functional interfaces are a new type of interface that have exactly one abstract method, which makes them suitable for use with lambda expressions.
- Streams: Streams provide a way to process collections of data in a functional style, making it easier to write code that is both more concise and more efficient.
- Method references: Method references provide a way to refer to methods or constructors without invoking them, making it possible to pass methods as arguments to other methods.
- Date-Time API: Java 8 introduced a new Date-Time API that provides a more comprehensive and powerful way to work with dates and times than the previous Date and Calendar classes.
- Default methods: Default methods allow interfaces to have a default implementation of a method, which makes it possible to add new methods to existing interfaces without breaking existing code.
Overall, Java 8 is a major update to the Java programming language that introduces many new features and enhancements that make it easier to write more efficient and expressive code.