Java Versions & Features

Keeping up with Java’s rapid release cadence—and the avalanche of new features that come with each version—can feel like trying to drink from a firehose. From incubator modules to preview language enhancements to final, production‑ready APIs, there’s a lot to track and a lot of information to go through.

In the series of blog posts I'm currently writing. I found myself struggling to sift through OpenJDK's documentation, of which features were actually released in a java version or which ones where in preview or incubation phase.

That was why i thought rather let me create a small tool to help me...

Java Versions & Features, a lightweight React application that visualizes every major Java release in an interactive, theme‑aware timeline.

Why a Timeline?

Java’s six‑month release cycle means new capabilities land faster than ever. While long‑term support (LTS) versions like 8, 11, 17, & 21 are usually the prime focus, preview and incubator features introduce powerful functionality early in the ecosystem:

• Incubator: Early‑stage, experimental features (e.g., the Vector API) that invite community feedback.
• Preview: Language or platform capabilities (e.g., pattern matching) available in a preview state before finalization.
• Final: Fully released features you can rely on in production.

Plotting these phases along a timeline helps you see when and how each feature evolved.

Key Features

Chronological Visualization

• Built with react-vertical-timeline-component for a scroll‑driven, vertical layout.
• Each Java release is rendered as a clickable node.
• If an official release blog exists, a “Java X” button opens it in a new tab.

Feature Drill‑Down

• Expand a release to view all associated features.
• Click a feature to open the Time Machine modal, showing:
  • Phase: Incubator | Preview | Final
  • Release date
  • Description and links (JEPs, Javadoc, blog posts)

Flexible Filtering

• Text Search: Filter features by name in real time.
• Phase Toggles: Show or hide incubator, preview, and final features.
• LTS‑Only Mode: Focus on the four long‑term support versions with a single switch.
• Contextual empty‑state messages guide you when no filters match.

Light & Dark Themes

• Toggle between themes—CSS variables (--color-primary, --color-accent, etc.) adjust backgrounds, typography, and icons.
• Ensures accessibility and a consistent brand feel across modes.

Scroll‑to‑Top Convenience

• A floating ⇧ button appears at the bottom of the page for quick navigation back to the top.

Tech Stack & Architecture

• React (function components + hooks) for a composable, state‑driven UI.
• react-vertical-timeline-component for an engaging, scrollable timeline layout.
• Lucide Icons (ArrowUp for scroll-to-top) for lightweight SVG assets.
• CSS Custom Properties for theming; global variables defined in :root and overridden in .theme-dark.
• ESLint (flat config) + Prettier to enforce code quality and consistent styling.
• Jest + React Testing Library to validate that core components render correctly.

Future Improvement ideas

• add links if i write a blog post about a specific version or feature
• add links to the JEPs (JDK Enhancement Proposal) for each feature
• Search by JEP Number or Keyword Tags

Initially I thought of just having a static site but maybe i will add more dynamic improvements in.