Java Development Kit (JDK) 18 is scheduled for release on March 22, 2022. The new version of standard Java will have nine features with the feature set having been frozen as of December 9th. JDKs are released every six months and JDK 17 just came out in September so expect another one soon.

JDK 18 Features

• 400: UTF-8 by Default
• 408: Simple Web Server
• 413: Code Snippets in Java API Documentation
• 416: Reimplement Core Reflection with Method Handles
• 417: Vector API (Third Incubator)
• 418: Internet-Address Resolution SPI
• 419: Foreign Function & Memory API (Second Incubator)
• 420: Pattern Matching for switch (Second Preview)
• 421: Deprecate Finalization for Removal

Seven out of these nine features can be placed into Core Java Library. These seven include:

• JEP 400: UTF-8 by Default (java.nio.charsets)
• JEP 408: Simple Web Server (java.net)
• JEP 416: Reimplement Core Reflection with Method Handles (java.lang.reflect)
• JEP 417: Vector API (Third Incubator)
• JEP 418: Internet-Address Resolution SPI (java.net)
• JEP 419: Foreign Function & Memory API (Second Incubator)
• JEP 421: Deprecate Finalization for Removal (java.lang)

The rest the two out of these nine features can be placed under Java Tools.

References:

• https://openjdk.java.net/projects/jdk/18/#Schedule
• https://www.infoworld.com/article/3630510/jdk-18-the-new-features-in-java-18.html
• https://www.infoq.com/news/2022/03/java-18-so-far/