Wednesday 26 September 2018

Oracle's Java 11 trap - Use OpenJDK instead!

TL:DR; Java is still available at zero-cost, you just need to stop using Oracle JDK and start using an OpenJDK build, such as this one or this one.

The trap

Java 11 has been released. It is a major release because it has long-term support (LTS). But Oracle have also set it up to be a trap (either deliberately or accidentally).

For 23 years, developers have downloaded the JDK from Oracle and used it for $free. Type "JDK" into your favourite search engine, and the top link will be to an Oracle Java SE download page (I'm deliberately not providing a link). But that search and that link is now a trap.

Oracle JDK, the one all web searches take you to, is now commercial not $free.

The key part of the terms is as follows:

You may not: use the Programs for any data processing or any commercial, production, or internal business purposes other than developing, testing, prototyping, and demonstrating your Application;

The trap is as follows:

  1. Download Oracle JDK (because that is what you've always done, and it is what the web-search tells you)
  2. Use it in production (because you didn't realise the license changed)
  3. Get a nasty phone call from Oracle's license enforcement teams demanding lots of money

In other words, Oracle can rely on inertia from Java developers to cause them to download the wrong (commercial) release of Java. Unless you read the text/warnings/legalese very carefully you might not even realise Oracle JDK is now commercial, and that you are therefore liable to pay Oracle for using this particular JDK in production.

(Update, 2018-10-03: Searches for Java 11 and JDK 11 now seem to be resolving to OpenJDK builds, not commercial ones!)

Is this trap malicious behaviour on the part of Oracle? Readers will have their own opinions. I do suggest bearing in mind that Oracle invests huge amounts in developing Java, so it is reasonable to have a commercial plan available for those that want it. And they do provide a $free alternative completely valid for commercial use...

The solution

The solution is simple!

Use an OpenJDK build.

There are many different $free OpenJDK builds of Java 11, so you need to choose the one that best fits your needs.

The Adoptium (formerly AdoptOpenJDK) build is $free, GPL licensed (with Classpath exception so safe for commercial use), and a good choice as it is vendor-neutral and is intended to have 4+ years of security patches.

Download $free Java from Adoptium here

The OpenJDK build from Oracle is $free, GPL licensed (with Classpath exception so safe for commercial use), and provided alongside their commercial offering. It will only have 6 months of security patches, after that Oracle intends you to upgrade to Java 12.

Download $free Java from Oracle here

Many more OpenJDK builds are available, including ones available via your package manager. See this post for a list covering the wide variety of OpenJDK builds. And see my post on zero-cost Java for background info.

Download other OpenJDK builds here

And for a counterpoint, see Marcus' great summary of why the underlying changes here are actually good news.

Summary

Do NOT download or use the Oracle JDK unless you intend to pay for it.

For Java 11, download and use an OpenJDK build, from AdoptOpenJDK , Oracle or elsewhere.

(No comments on this post. There are plenty of other places to express opinions.)