Is OpenJDK 11 free?

Answered by Robert Dupre

OpenJDK 11 is free to use. It is an open source implementation of the Java Development Kit (JDK) provided by Oracle. OpenJDK is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2 with the Classpath Exception, which allows it to be used and distributed freely.

OpenJDK 11 is the reference implementation of the Java SE 11 Platform, and it includes all the features and improvements introduced in Java 11. It provides a robust and reliable platform for developing and running Java applications.

One of the advantages of OpenJDK is that it allows developers to have full control and visibility into the source code. This means that they can modify and customize the JDK according to their needs. It also enables the Java community to contribute to the development and improvement of the platform.

OpenJDK 11 is suitable for personal and development use, as well as for production environments. Whether you are a hobbyist, a student, or a professional developer, you can freely download and use OpenJDK 11 for your Java projects.

It’s worth noting that while OpenJDK is free to use, there may be some differences in terms of support and updates compared to the Oracle JDK. Oracle provides commercial support and long-term support (LTS) for their JDK releases, while the support for OpenJDK may vary depending on the distribution or vendor you choose.

If you require commercial support or additional features, you may consider using the Oracle JDK or explore offerings from other JDK vendors. However, for most users, OpenJDK 11 provides a reliable and cost-effective solution for developing Java applications.

In my personal experience, I have used OpenJDK 11 for various projects without any issues. It has proven to be a stable and performant platform, and the fact that it is free to use has been a significant advantage, especially for smaller organizations or individual developers with budget constraints.

To summarize, OpenJDK 11 is indeed free to use and provides a high-quality implementation of the Java SE 11 Platform. It offers developers the freedom to customize and contribute to the platform while serving as a reliable foundation for Java application development.