–Compiled from “Java core technology (Volume I) basic knowledge (the 11th edition of the original book)”
Version | year | new language features
1.0 | 1996 | language itself
1.1 | 1997 | internal class
1.2 | 1998 | strictfp modifier
1.3 | 2000 | none
1.4 | 2002 | assertion
5.0 | 2004 | universal type, “for each” loop, variable meta parameter, auto boxing, metadata, enumeration, static import
6 | 2006 | none
7 | 2011 | string based selection statement, diamond operator, binary literal quantity, exception handling enhancement
8 | 2014 | lambda expressions, interfaces with default methods, streams, and date / time libraries
9 | 2017 | module, other languages and class library enhancements