Alternatives to Oracle Java
Free alternatives?
The source files behind Java are basically open, i.e. freely available and free to use. This means that the software is not only available to Oracle, but also to other providers, organizations, communities, etc. to create their own Java distributions.
Some of these distributions are still free of charge and are based on the identical software sources as Java from Oracle. There are differences in the underlying support and maintenance mechanisms, but not in the functionality of Java itself.
Some free alternatives to Oracle Java are presented below. There are also other alternatives. In order to be able to use these, a (possibly) existing Oracle Java installation must first be removed from the system. Information on how to do this can be found here.
In what form are updates available for the free alternatives?
There are also software updates for the Oracle Java alternatives presented below, based on Oracle's release cycle. Compared to Oracle, these are free of charge, but not automatic. This means that the person responsible for the administration of the computer must carry out the Java updates at regular intervals or as required. In the client area, this is usually done by downloading and installing the latest packages from the respective provider.
Client area (end users/individual workstations)
Amazon Corretto
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Operating systems |
Win, MacOS, Linux |
|
Java versions |
8, 11, and 17 (corresponds to the Oracle LTS) |
|
Information |
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| Download | Other Java versions and packages can be found under the above link |
| Installation instructions and user manual |
After successful installation, the following Java version note is displayed in the Windows console/command prompt for the java -version command (Click on the image to enlarge.)
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| Remarks |
Corretto is the Oracle Java SE alternative with the apparently most comprehensive range of information and documentation. Due to Amazon's great interest and extensive resources, stable and long-term availability can be assumed. Corretto has also been tested for compatibility with the Java SE platform using the Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK). Corretto is the only one of the three distributions that has integrated JavaFX. JavaFX is used, for example, for modern user interfaces and animations. |
Adoptium (formerly Adopt) Open JDK
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Operating systems |
Win, MacOS, Linux |
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Java versions |
8, 11, and 17 (corresponds to the Oracle LTS) |
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Information |
https://adoptium.net/de/ |
| Download installation packages |
Open https://adoptium.net/de/temurin/archive/ and select the desired version via the version selection box.
|
| Installation instructions |
Instructions for other system variants can be found here. After successful installation, the following Java version note is displayed in the Windows console/command prompt for the java -version command. (Click on the image to enlarge.)
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| Remarks |
In contrast to Amazon Corretto and Azul Zulu, Adopt Open JDK is not backed by a company but by a community. This community is large and is supported by well-known companies such as IBM, SAP, and Microsoft. Adopt Open JDK enjoys a reputation for being reliable, stable and well tested. Like Coretto and Azul, Adoptium has now been tested for compatibility with Oracle Java SE using the Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK). |
Azul Zulu
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Operating systems |
Win, MacOS, Linux |
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Java versions |
7, 8, 11, 12 (8 and 11 are LTS) |
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Information |
|
|
Download |
Open https://www.azul.com/downloads/?package=jdk#download-openjdk and select the desired version using the selection boxes.
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| Installation instructions |
Instructions for all platforms See 'Installation Guidelines' in the left navigation. After successful installation, the following Java version note is displayed in the Windows console/command prompt for the java -version command. (click on the image to enlarge.)
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| Remarks | Azul Systems is an established (American) company that has been active in the Java sector since 2002. Like Oracle, Azul offers a fee-based (enterprise) model that includes extended support and maintenance mechanisms as an additional service to the free Java distribution. Like Corretto, Azul Zulu is also tested for compatibility with the Java SE platform using the Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK). |
Server area
Java Runtime (JRE) with or without Java Development Kit (JDK)
On the following pages, server administrators can find the download information and GitHub repositories of the three providers mentioned.
Download pages
GitHub
Comparison (compact overview for Java 8)
| Oracle | Amazon Corretto | Adoptium | Azul Zulu | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Based on OpenJDK | yes | yes |
yes |
yes |
| Open Source | no | yes | yes | yes |
| Updates (quarterly) | with costs | free | free | free |
| Update mechanism | automatic | manual | manual | manual |
| Commercial support possible | yes | no | no | yes |
| Multiplatform (WIN,MAC,LIN) | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| JavaFX integrated | yes | yes | no | no |