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Oracle
oracle.com › java › technologies › downloads
Download the Latest Java LTS Free
These downloads can be used for development, personal use, or to run Oracle licensed products. Use for other purposes, including production or commercial use, requires a Java SE Universal Subscription or another Oracle license. Commercial license and support are available for a low cost with Java SE Universal Subscription. JDK 11 software is licensed under the Oracle Technology Network License Agreement for Oracle Java SE. ... Java SE subscribers will receive JDK 8 ...
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Oracle
oracle.com › java › technologies › javase › javase8-archive-downloads.html
Java Archive Downloads - Java SE 8
This page includes archive downloads for Java SE 8u202 and earlier. The archive downloads for Java SE 8u211 and later updates are available, under the Java SE OTN License. The JDK is a development environment for building applications using the Java programming language.
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CNET
download.cnet.com › java-se-development-kit-8 › 3000-2218_4-12091.html
Java SE Development Kit 8 for Windows - Free download and software reviews - CNET Download
August 12, 2025 - With its streamlined, feature-rich architecture, Java SE Development Kit 8 supports modern coding features like lambda expressions, default methods, and enhanced collections. It unifies compilers, JVM, and monitoring tools into a cohesive, functional suite, delivering essential capabilities ...
Rating: 4.3 ​ - ​ 12 votes
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GitHub
github.com › hmsjy2017 › get-jdk
GitHub - hmsjy2017/get-jdk: Java SE Development Kit 8 Downloads
Java SE Development Kit 8 Downloads. Contribute to hmsjy2017/get-jdk development by creating an account on GitHub.
Starred by 53 users
Forked by 8 users
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apponic
java-se-development-kit-8.apponic.com › mac
Java SE Development Kit 8 for Mac Free Download
3 weeks ago - Java SE 8 delivers enhanced developer ... through reduced boilerplate code, improved collections and annotations, simpler parallel programming models and more efficient use of modern, multi-core processors....
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Bell Software
bell-sw.com › pages › downloads
Java Download | Java 8, Java 11, Java 17, Java 21, Java 25 - OpenJDK Builds for Linux, Windows & macOS
Liberica JDK is a free, open-source Java Development Kit developed by BellSoft. It's TCK-certified for Java SE specifications and supports most Linux distributions, Windows, macOS, and Solaris. Liberica JDK is a drop-in replacement for Java 8, 11, 17, 21 and 25 (LTS versions), plus Java 9, ...
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OpenJDK
openjdk.org › projects › jdk8
JDK 8
The goal of this Project was to produce an open-source reference implementation of the Java SE 8 Platform Specification defined by JSR 337 in the Java Community Process. JDK 8 reached General Availability on 18 March 2014. Production-ready binary distributions based on the JDK 8 code base are available now from Oracle and will be available soon in most Linux distributions. Development of JDK 8 Update Releases is being done in the nearby JDK 8 Updates Project.
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Adoptium
adoptium.net › temurin › releases
Latest Releases | Adoptium
Eclipse Temurin offers high-performance, cross-platform, open-source Java runtime binaries that are enterprise-ready and Java SE TCK-tested for general use in the Java ecosystem.
Find elsewhere
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OpenLogic
openlogic.com › openjdk-downloads
OpenJDK Downloads | OpenLogic
These upgrades were accepted into IcedTea-Web 2.0. OpenLogic now provides free, quarterly builds of OpenJDK 8, OpenJDK 11, OpenJDK 17, and OpenJDK 21 for Linux, Windows, and MacOS.
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Oracle
jdk.java.net › java-se-ri › 8-MR3
Java Platform, Standard Edition 8 Reference Implementations
These binaries are provided for use by implementers of the Java SE 8 Platform Specification and are for reference purposes only. These Reference Implementations have been approved through the Java Community Process. Binaries for development and production will be available from Oracle and in most popular Linux distributions. Oracle Linux 7.6 x64 Java Development Kit (md5) 167 MB
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TechSpot
techspot.com › downloads › 5198-java-jre.html
Java SE JDK and JRE 8.471 Download | TechSpot
October 21, 2025 - Java 8, Java 11, Java 17 and Java 21 are the four long-term support versions recommended by Oracle alongside the latest release. You can download the version you need below: ... Sometimes, even if you are not planning to do any Java development on a computer, you still need the JDK installed. For example, if you are deploying a web application with JSP, you are technically just running Java programs inside the application server.
Rating: 4.3 ​ - ​ 200 votes
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Oracle
jdk.java.net › 8
JDK 8 Early-Access Builds - Java.net
The JDK 8 Early Access Program has concluded. Current versions of JDK 8 can be found on www.oracle.com/javadownload
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/javahelp › java / java se / jdk / jre - which is which and what do i want?
r/javahelp on Reddit: Java / Java SE / JDK / JRE - which is which and what do I want?
July 4, 2021 -

Okay, context. I'm trying out some programming languages to perhaps get into (after previously primarily doing stuff with C#). One of these is Java. I had a 2019 version of Eclipse installed from last time I wanted to learn Java. Updated it to 2021, and it tells me I need Java 11 or higher.

So I google "download Java". Oracle offers me to download Java 8 Update 291, released April 2021. I check my instaleld version. Sure enough, I have Java 8 Update 291. If I am up to date, why is Eclipse complaining, I wonder? So I google Java 11. Huh, what's that, there are versions of Java up to 16? One article mentions that Java 8 has been deprecated for years. Odd, I think, didn't Oracle tell me just now that Java 8 was released in 2021? Oh, I see, they are talking about something called "Java SE". So I google what that is. "java vs java se", I google, but all I get are articles about how Java SE is different from something called Java EE. Never heard of it, I don't want it. In the meantime, I have also googled for JDK, since I assume that I need the Java SDK to get the compilers. Maybe the JDK has a different version number than the JRE, I theoretise. But then what is this Java SE? At one point, it says it's the standard edition, but on the next page, it says it's "for reference purposes only". Whatever that means. Can I use it to run and compile Java or not, I ask.

tldr: why is there a Java 16 if Oracle tells me 8 is the latest, which one do I want to run and program with the latest Eclipse?

P.S. necessary context is perhaps that I'm on 64-bit Windows 7 (my Eclipse install on my Linux laptop works fine)

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The JRE is the Java Runtime Environment, you need it to run java applications. The JDK is the Java Development Kit, you need it to compile your code, it also includes the JRE. About Java SE and EE, to my understanding, I may be wrong here, SE is Standard Edition, what you use for personal use. Java EE is the enterprise Edition, is used by business and you have to pay for it. About the versions. There is java up to 16, at the moment the most used Java versions are Java 8, Java 11 and Java 16 (the latest). Java 8 is used because Java 9 broke lots of Java 8 applications, only use it to run Java 8 applications not develop. Java 11 is the most used to make applications, if you don't use the latest version to make your applications probably you want to use this one. Java 16 is just the latest. These 3 java versions are the ones that are still receiving new builds ('updates'). When you search to download Java oracle will most likely give you the latest build of Java 8. I recommend you installing the JDK of Java 11 and 16 and if you want the JRE of Java 8. To download the JDK just search for "Java 11 jdk" and this page will show up.
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Java_version_history
Java version history - Wikipedia
1 week ago - Regarding Oracle's Java SE support roadmap, Java SE 25 (LTS) is the latest version as of September 2025, while versions 21, 17, 11 and 8 are the other still supported (long-term support − LTS) versions, where Oracle Customers will receive Oracle Premier Support. Oracle continues to release no-cost public Java 8 updates for development and personal use indefinitely.
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Oracle
java.com › releases
JDK Releases
Prior to Java SE 8, all significant new features were developed by independent JSRs under the JCP then incorporated by reference in the Platform JSR. Starting with Java SE 8, this practice was discontinued, and the JDK Enhancement Proposal (JEP) Process was introduced.
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Oracle
java.com › en › download › manual.jsp
Download Java
Java 8 integrates with your operating system to run separately installed Java applications. If you were asked to install Java to run a desktop application, it's most likely you need this version. Developers are encouraged to download the latest Java Development Kit from OTN downloads.
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Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › java › openjdk › download
Download the Microsoft Build of OpenJDK | Microsoft Learn
Supported installation methods ... If you still require Java 8, you can download any of the Eclipse Temurin builds of OpenJDK 8 from the Eclipse Adoptium project....
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OpenJDK
openjdk.org
OpenJDK
Serviceability · Vulnerability · Web · Projects · (overview, archive) Amber · Babylon · CRaC · Code Tools · Coin · Common VM Interface · Developers' Guide · Device I/O · Duke · Galahad · Graal · IcedTea · JDK 8 Updates · JDK 9 · JDK (…, 25, 26, 27) JDK Updates ·