OpenJDK (Open Java Development Kit) is a free and open-source implementation of the Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE). It is the result of an effort Sun Microsystems began in 2006. The implementation is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL) with a linking exception. We released JDK 7 under this license on July 28, 2011.
Most computing platforms today are virtual machines, which execute a computing platform’s instruction set. A few examples are the Java virtual machine, the .NET CLR, and the Python virtual machine. To enable a computing platform to run on a virtual machine, someone must write an interpreter or compiler for that computing platform’s instruction set on top of the underlying hardware architecture.
OpenJDK provides an environment for developing and running Java applications on any supported platform. It includes a complete runtime environment and a growing set of libraries and tools for developing, debugging, and monitoring Java applications. OpenJDK is useful for companies willing to use and further develop their versions of Java and developers looking for a free alternative to commercial offerings. Developers can take advantage of nightly builds produced by the OpenJDK Community and line up with our six-month release
