Oracle releases Java 26 with AI and cryptography enhancements

Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) announced the availability of Java 26 on March 17, 2026, introducing 10 JDK Enhancement Proposals focused on artificial intelligence capabilities, cryptography functionality, and developer productivity improvements.

The release includes performance updates such as improved G1 garbage collector throughput and ahead-of-time object caching functionality. Java 26 adds HTTP/3 support to the HTTP Client API and introduces lazy constants for more efficient resource usage in AI and data-driven applications.

Oracle simultaneously launched the Java Verified Portfolio, a collection of Oracle-supported tools, frameworks, libraries, and services. The portfolio includes commercial support for JavaFX, the Java-based UI framework, and Helidon, a framework for microservices development.

JavaFX commercial support extends through March 2028 for JDK 8, with plans to align future releases with Java versions. Oracle intends to synchronize Helidon's release schedule with Java releases and propose it as an OpenJDK project.

Security enhancements include PEM encoding capabilities for cryptographic objects and hybrid public key encryption support. The release removes the deprecated Applet API to reduce installation footprints and improve application security.

"The new features in Java 26 reflect Oracle's commitment to helping customers harness AI and cryptography to build applications that accelerate business growth," said Georges Saab, senior vice president of Oracle Java Platform.

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure became the first cloud provider to support Oracle JDK 26. The Java SE Universal Subscription now includes the Java Verified Portfolio alongside existing enterprise performance tools and Java Management Service.

The features result from collaboration between Oracle and the global Java developer community through OpenJDK and the Java Community Process.

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