What’s New in Java 13? Key Features and Release Timeline Explained

Because Java now follows a “new version every six months” model, the next version after Java 12, Java 13/JDK 13, is expected to be released in September.

To accelerate iteration and incorporate community feedback, Java’s release cycle has changed to a major version every six months and a feature release each quarter, with a commitment not to miss deadlines. This allows the development team to merge key features early into the JDK for rapid feedback.

Java 13 is currently in Rampdown Phase One (RDP 1), meaning features are frozen and the focus shifts to stabilizing the build and fixing bugs.

According to the lifecycle, the GA version is scheduled for September 17. Details of the JDK release process can be found at http://openjdk.java.net/jeps/3 .

JDK 13 introduces five notable JEPs:

JEP 350 – Dynamic CDS Archives : Extends application class‑data sharing to allow dynamic archiving of classes at program termination, including all loaded application and library classes not present in the default CDS archive.

JEP 351 – ZGC: Uncommit Unused Memory : Enhances ZGC to return unused heap memory to the operating system.

JEP 353 – Reimplement the Legacy Socket API : Replaces the underlying implementation of java.net.Socket and java.net.ServerSocket with a simpler, more maintainable and debuggable version.

JEP 354 – Switch Expressions (Preview) : Provides a preview of switch expressions, allowing switch to be used as an expression and introducing a concise “case L →” syntax, simplifying everyday coding and preparing for pattern matching.

JEP 355 – Text Blocks (Preview) : Adds text blocks to the Java language, offering multiline string literals that reduce the need for escape sequences and automatically format strings predictably.