Java Cost and Free Alternatives
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Recently, Oracle changed the Java licensing model for versions after Java SE 8. While Java SE 8 remains free for everyone, the current version of Java SE 14 is only for personal use. Companies must pay to use this product commercially. Oracle calls this Java SE Subscription. If you are thinking about creating your own startup in the future, you will have to take this into account.
License types
By visiting the appropriate
section of the Oracle website, you can see the current cost of a Java SE subscription. For example, an annual subscription to Oracle Java SE Desktop for one user will cost approximately $30. Discounts start only when purchasing 1000 or more subscriptions. If you are ready to purchase 20 thousand licenses at once, then the cost of an annual subscription for one PC is reduced to $15. The cost of a server Oracle Java SE Subscription is calculated using a special formula: Number of licenses = total number of processor cores X processor core licensing coefficient.
There is a table of odds on the Oracle website . For example, a multi-core server based on a 0.25 Oracle chip processor installed and/or running on 6 cores would require 2 processor licenses, each costing $300. Thus, in total you will have to pay $600 per year. For a multi-core server for a hardware platform, with installation and/or running of the program on 10 cores, 10 processor licenses will be required. Cost: $300 x 10 licenses = $3000 per year.
What is an SE subscription?
Java SE Subscription offers customers Java SE licensing and support for cloud, server, and desktop deployments. The assemblies (JAR files) are based on the free Java platform, Standard Edition (Java SE), and support Java SE releases from Java SE 6 to the current release of Java SE 11.
Why pay? What do we get?
- Oracle+ support.
- Oracle Java SE licensing and support for cloud, server, and desktop deployments.
- Access performance, stability, and security updates directly from Oracle.
- Access to multiple versions of Oracle Java SE after general availability of updates ends.
- Oracle Java SE 8 and 7 enterprise management, monitoring and deployment features.
- 24/7 My Oracle support in 27 languages.
- Access critical fixes before they are included in general public releases.
- Possibility of monthly subscription payment.
- Direct access to updates from My Oracle Support.
Free Java still exists!
If you are not satisfied with the cost of a subscription from Oracle, you can always turn to alternative developers. They allow commercial use of the JDK under an open license. That is, completely free. The most well-known providers of free Java software are:
As you know, it often happens that free software is no worse or even better than the original build. A prime example of this is Azul Zulu, which
is used in Microsoft Azure to support Java. In addition, there are a huge number of other open-licensed commercial uses of the JDK.
BlueJ and Greenfoot: Best IDEs for Java Beginners
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Infoworld Do you want to learn Java? Then you can't do without one of the integrated development environments (IDEs). This is the tool through which you can edit, create, run, debug and deploy your Java application. There are several popular Java IDEs: for example, Eclipse, NetBeans or IntelliJ IDEA. No matter which one you choose, after installation you will be faced with a new challenge - you now have two things to learn: Java and IDE. Sometimes it happens that a development tool turns out to be no less complex for a beginner than the language he is learning. To overcome these difficulties, it is worth paying attention to BlueJ and Greenfoot - two IDEs specially designed for beginners at King's College London. Both environments make it easy to become familiar with Java and the tools and techniques needed to create applications in the language.
BlueJ was founded in 1999. At first, the IDE was simply called Blue. At that time it was both a development environment and a language. Then the tool was changed to Java, so the environment was named BlueJ.
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There are currently versions of BlueJ for Linux, MacOS and Windows. The current version of BlueJ (4.2.2 at the time of this writing) requires JDK 11 or later, so it only works on a 64-bit operating system. There were previously 32-bit versions, but they are no longer supported. BlueJ is a complete Java environment. This is not a stripped-down, simplified version of Java for learning. It uses a standard compiler and virtual machine. Its main difference is only in a more understandable user interface for beginners. Typically, beginning students can learn to work in the BlueJ environment after 20 minutes of training. Then you can focus straight on object orientation and Java—no need to waste time talking about file systems, class paths, DOS commands, or DLL conflicts. The environment supports learning tools not available in other IDEs. One of them is visualization of class structure. BlueJ automatically displays a graphical diagram representing the classes and relationships in a project. Visualizing these important concepts is a big plus for beginners. Many people find it difficult to understand the concept of an object when all you see on the screen are lines of code! Having diagrams makes studying easier. One of the most important benefits of the BlueJ framework is the user's ability to create objects of any class directly and then interact with their methods. Students can almost "feel" what it is like to create an object, call a method, pass a parameter, or receive a return value. Java expressions can be called directly without compilation. Of course, like any other full-fledged environment, BlueJ has a debugger. You can set breakpoints in the debugger in BlueJ just like in other IDEs. You can also create a test class from the context menu. Creating test methods occurs by opening the class source in the editor, or using a virtual assistant that, through a series of dialogs, will help you create test methods. Similarly, BlueJ helps in creating JavaFX and Swing GUI applications.
While BlueJ is most often used as an introductory programming course in college, Greenfoot is aimed at high school students. To appeal to young audiences, Greenfoot was created as a "simple Java development and animation environment."
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To teach object orientation, Greenfoot provides visual elements: "actors" (not to be confused with the Actor model), which are programmed in standard text-based Java code, providing a combination of traditional text-based language and visual execution. The Greenfoot interface supports project management, autocompletion, syntax highlighting, and many other tools used in professional development environments. The user has the opportunity to publish his work both online and offline. The main difference between Greenfoot and professional IDEs is that it has a simple and easy-to-use interface designed with beginners in mind. Greenfoot provides an easy transition to other environments such as BlueJ and more professional IDEs.
BlueJ and Greenfoot - the first steps to programming in Java
Once you decide to take a closer look at BlueJ and Greenfoot, you need to remember that neither of these IDEs is suitable for creating full-fledged Java applications. They are intended only to introduce beginners to the Java language without burdening them with complex toolbars and menus. However, having studied the first development environment, it will be easier for the student to move on to working in a professional-level IDE.
Recently, Oracle changed the Java licensing model for versions after Java SE 8. While Java SE 8 remains free for everyone, the current version of Java SE 14 is only for personal use. Companies must pay to use this product commercially. Oracle calls this Java SE Subscription. If you are thinking about creating your own startup in the future, you will have to take this into account.
There are currently versions of BlueJ for Linux, MacOS and Windows. The current version of BlueJ (4.2.2 at the time of this writing) requires JDK 11 or later, so it only works on a 64-bit operating system. There were previously 32-bit versions, but they are no longer supported. BlueJ is a complete Java environment. This is not a stripped-down, simplified version of Java for learning. It uses a standard compiler and virtual machine. Its main difference is only in a more understandable user interface for beginners. Typically, beginning students can learn to work in the BlueJ environment after 20 minutes of training. Then you can focus straight on object orientation and Java—no need to waste time talking about file systems, class paths, DOS commands, or DLL conflicts. The environment supports learning tools not available in other IDEs. One of them is visualization of class structure. BlueJ automatically displays a graphical diagram representing the classes and relationships in a project. Visualizing these important concepts is a big plus for beginners. Many people find it difficult to understand the concept of an object when all you see on the screen are lines of code! Having diagrams makes studying easier. One of the most important benefits of the BlueJ framework is the user's ability to create objects of any class directly and then interact with their methods. Students can almost "feel" what it is like to create an object, call a method, pass a parameter, or receive a return value. Java expressions can be called directly without compilation. Of course, like any other full-fledged environment, BlueJ has a debugger. You can set breakpoints in the debugger in BlueJ just like in other IDEs. You can also create a test class from the context menu. Creating test methods occurs by opening the class source in the editor, or using a virtual assistant that, through a series of dialogs, will help you create test methods. Similarly, BlueJ helps in creating JavaFX and Swing GUI applications.
To teach object orientation, Greenfoot provides visual elements: "actors" (not to be confused with the Actor model), which are programmed in standard text-based Java code, providing a combination of traditional text-based language and visual execution. The Greenfoot interface supports project management, autocompletion, syntax highlighting, and many other tools used in professional development environments. The user has the opportunity to publish his work both online and offline. The main difference between Greenfoot and professional IDEs is that it has a simple and easy-to-use interface designed with beginners in mind. Greenfoot provides an easy transition to other environments such as BlueJ and more professional IDEs.
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