Java JRE Licensing
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Hello there
I spent the past 3 days trying to figure out how the (not so new anymore) java licensing works, and I'm still not sure if I understand correctly.
Let's say we are a business with 60 workstations. We are only using the WIndows Java JRE workstation installation for appliactions that require it (the old vcenter web console for example). Currently Java JRE 8 is installed.
Now the updates for Java JRE 8 are no longer free for commercial use, but since they are for private use technically we could still install them without paying a license fee (obviously this is not an option).
What I do not understand is the licensing of the newer versions (10, 11). Is JRE 10 still free? Will there be free security updates? Or should I use OpenJDK, but then how do I roll out only the JRE out of openJDK?
I installed openJDK using the installer, but for example the vcenter web console did not work with openjdk installed and "normal" java uninstalled.Every articel I've read was either talking about developers needing the full JDK specifically or did not come to any conclusion like "Yes, you can use jre 10 for free in a business environment" or "no you must buy licenses". I'm really starting to feel stupid, I know our requirements and quantity and product version yet I still can't get to a yes/no answer somehow.
So can you guys maybe enlighten me? I would greatly appreciate any help!
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@FakeNoMore said in Java JRE Licensing:
Now the updates for Java JRE 8 are no longer free for commercial use, but since they are for private use technically we could still install them without paying a license fee (obviously this is not an option).
Private use is commercial use. The two are not opposing concepts. If it is a business, then it is commercial use. Private isn't a concept in this case.
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@FakeNoMore said in Java JRE Licensing:
What I do not understand is the licensing of the newer versions (10, 11). Is JRE 10 still free? Will there be free security updates?
Current JREs are still free, it's only a cost for people who want to remain on a legacy version and expect Oracle to keep patching it, and are a business. It's completely reasonable, even good, that Oracle is doing this as it stop people from avoiding updates and makes them keep up.
Consider a Windows analogy... if Microsoft made current Windows free, but charged people who were a business, and wanted to stay on old versions (like XP or 7), and wanted MS to keep supplying patches. That's a super costly thing for MS to do and bad for the industry, so requiring that those customers pay for those patches that are worthless to anyone but them is good for literally everyone.
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Current Java JREs are free. Even really old ones are free. Java 8 is the last generation LTS. All versions of Java stop being free at some point, if you keep wanting updates. But all you have to do is keep Java updated, and under current licensing it remains free.
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The easiest way to handle Java installs, IMHO, is via Chocolatey (assuming that you are on Windows.) Java 11, the current LTS release, is available this way.
choco install jdk11 -
@FakeNoMore said in Java JRE Licensing:
What I do not understand is the licensing of the newer versions (10, 11). Is JRE 10 still free?
Java 11 is the current LTS release.
Java 12 is the current rapid release.Avoid Java 10 or older at this point, anything that old is legacy. 11 & 12 are good options, 10 and older are not as they are neither current nor current LTS.
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@scottalanmiller said in Java JRE Licensing:
The easiest way to handle Java installs, IMHO, is via Chocolatey (assuming that you are on Windows.) Java 11, the current LTS release, is available this way.
choco install jdk11To just always be current this should be right to use
choco install javaruntime -
@scottalanmiller
Thanks for the clear answer. So if we use the current JRE Version we do not have to pay license fees. -
@scottalanmiller said in Java JRE Licensing:
@FakeNoMore said in Java JRE Licensing:
What I do not understand is the licensing of the newer versions (10, 11). Is JRE 10 still free?
Java 11 is the current LTS release.
Java 12 is the current rapid release.Avoid Java 10 or older at this point, anything that old is legacy. 11 & 12 are good options, 10 and older are not as they are neither current nor current LTS.
So do we have to install the whole jdk now on every system since there are no separate JRE builds anymore?
How does that play into possible license costs with basically the whole Java SE installed? The features that are not free are probably there but not used.Edit: There doesn't seem to be a JRE anymore, only JDK.
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@FakeNoMore said in Java JRE Licensing:
@scottalanmiller
Thanks for the clear answer. So if we use the current JRE Version we do not have to pay license fees.Correct. Or the OpenJDK version is always free, as well.
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@FakeNoMore said in Java JRE Licensing:
@scottalanmiller said in Java JRE Licensing:
@FakeNoMore said in Java JRE Licensing:
What I do not understand is the licensing of the newer versions (10, 11). Is JRE 10 still free?
Java 11 is the current LTS release.
Java 12 is the current rapid release.Avoid Java 10 or older at this point, anything that old is legacy. 11 & 12 are good options, 10 and older are not as they are neither current nor current LTS.
So do we have to install the whole jdk now on every system since there are no separate JRE builds anymore?
How does that play into possible license costs with basically the whole Java SE installed? The features that are not free are probably there but not used.Edit: There doesn't seem to be a JRE anymore, only JDK.
The whole thing has always been free. The only thing in the Java ecosystem that has ever requirement payment is running extremely old versions while still patching. As long as you keep things updated, it's always free top to bottom.
