Which Java versions introduced which language features?

Question

Is there any comprehensive resource on the versions that the different language features were introduced in for Java? For example where I can type or search for 'static initialization blocks', and it can tell me that this feature is available in Java since version xx.

Answer 1

Below highlights a (non-comprehensive) list of changes between Java versions. Please add major changes to the language and platform.

Java 1.0 Press Release

• Introductory version.

Java 1.1 Press Release

• Nested classes
• Object serialization
• JavaBeans API
• JDBC
• Serialization & RMI
• Unicode 2.0 support

Java 1.2 Press Release

• strictfp
• Java Security Model
• JIT Compilation
• Swing
• Collections Framework

Java 1.3 Press Release

• HotSpot VM
• JNDI

Java 1.4 Press Release

• assert statement
• java.util.logging

Java 5 Press Release

• Primitive autoboxing
• Generic types
• enum
• Annotations
• Enhanced for loop
• Static imports
• Formatted input and output
• varargs

Java 6 Features and Enhancements

• New collection interfaces

JDK 7 Features

• try-with-resources
• Multiple exception-type catch
• diamond "operator"
• switch on strings
• Binary literals
• Underscores in integral literals
• Fork-Join Framework

JDK 8 Features

• Lambda expressions
• default & static methods on interfaces
• Stream API
• java.time API
• Nashorn JavaScript engine

Also, to have a more detailed analysis of Java language changes with each version, one can go through Java_Version_History Wikipedia

Answer 2

This Link will summerize the main features added to specific version with each version name and it's relase date. Hope this helps you.