Right now 90% of the people using my plugin are on 1.7
Would it be wise to update to java 1.8 for the added features?
I am told java 7 is no longer obtainable.
False. Look here http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jre7-downloads-1880261.html
I would say, no. Not yet. A large part of the community is still using Java 7. Heck some are still using Java SE 6. I donât even use 8 (Itâs kinda buggy on older games/programs).
Iâm currently using SE 7 and 8. But for Java projects, such as plugins, I only use 7. Itâs more common to be used on computers these days. It will take time for 1.8 to spread, so keep using Java 1.7 until 1.8 has become the standard 
I highly recommend that you stay on the Java 1.6 or Java 1.7 language levels, or use the JDK 6 or JDK 7 to develop your plugins. Java 8 is still relatively new and most of your potential users(meaning server owners and players, if youâre making a client-side mod) will not have it installed, and it is backwards-incompatible in some ways. I know that the features like streams, lambdas, defaults on interfaces and such are really cool, but unfortunately there is just not enough adoption of Java 8 yet to warrant its use in Minecraft plugin development.
Historically the java used in the server mods for MC have been using the same version that Minecraft uses, and when they switch Minecraft to java 1.7 or a higher version, then sponge may move to support that. Minecraft uses java 1.6 currently.
I wouldnât switch to java 8 ⌠I know people who donât even know that java 8 is existing⌠
And many old games arenât really supported by java 8 ⌠
And you may know that java 8 is still buggy!
I use java 7 for all java stuff⌠
I needed to update my Java to 1.8 due to an online programming course I took. Then I noticed my Minecraft client started crashing as soon as I hit the chat button in game and left the game by itself for 30 seconds.
Switched back to java 1.6: the problem went away. So no, do not upgrade to java 1.8 before the game itself has upgraded. It is still running on 1.6.
Are their any features java 8 has to offer to help with plugin development? Like for plugins if it is now 6, 7 or 8 my plugins compile just fine on these versions.
We wanted to use stuff like Optionnal<> but we wonât now. And I donât want to add a 3rd party library as this was to be in the API.
I found this overview about java 8 features on reddit:
http://bentolor.github.io/java8-lightningtalk/#/
I love Java 8 and my plugins will be java 8 based (if this is possible and does not crash with the Sponge API or Minecraft itself). The reason is simple:
If nobody is using or enforcing a new version, the version will never get to the people. And Java 8 provides a simple features, very important for every mod dev:
No permgen. Only metaspace. No need for the flag âXX:-PermGenSize:256MBâ or something like that.
But I can understand, when Spigot will be based on Java 6 providing a general and installed base for devs.
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The default Java download has been Java 8 for a while now. Apple hasnât bundled Java for 2 years now, and the default Oracle Java for Mac OS X is Java 8 as well. Ubuntu Utopic Unicorn has Java 8 in the repos (though 7 is still the default for some reason). Itâs time to get with the times and make the switch.
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You know you can have 2 versions of Java at the same time, just select an alternate location on the installer (never done this myself but I would expect it will work). That way those who need Java 8 can do so while also having Java 7 for Minecraft.
I donât think it would be a good idea setting the minimum Java version to 8. Minecraft officially supports from 6 up, so does Forge and so should Sponge.
I wouldnât want Sponge to be more limited than Vanilla in terms of hardware/software requirements.
I think itâs save to say to use java 7 when developing. Most servers SHOULD have updated to this version of java as Oracle no longer providing public updates for java 6.
source:
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/eol-135779.html
(search for âJava 6 has reached its End of Public Updatesâ)
When developing with JDK 7 your code gets compiled for java 7, but you may still run it on a Java 8 environment. It wonât work the other way around.
I higly suggest keep using JDK 6 due to the fact itâs compatible with higher versions. The other way around not. Also if you make it JDK 8 some noobs will start thinking, âWhy doesnât my server work?â⌠I donât want 300 threads about the same topic.
âNoobsâ as you call them, would either not know how to set up the JRE at all, or watch videos where people would actually tell them (how) to install the JRE v1.8; So that argument is, well, invalid.
But overall; I agree that we should stick to 1.6, as it isnât even ours, but Mojangâs decision.
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only around 2% of servers still use 1.6, so in my opinion itâs not worth it to target 1.6, when there are a lot of very worthwhile features in 1.7.
Iâve been using java 8 on a personal project and it is very, very nice, however not many servers actually use 1.8 yet.
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Agreed with both.
Upvote to switch to JDK 7
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Minecraft is targeted at Java 1.6. From my understanding, the reasoning behind this is because of old iOS devices that donât support higher versions of Java. So for the small percentage of the small percent of desktops running iOS that also arenât capable of upgrading to a higher language level, Mojang wonât upgrade. This is the kind of decision making process they have. Either way, because Minecraft targets Java 1.6, servers and APIâs are typically written to target the same level. Plugins however can be written at a higher level if you want to. So go ahead and do whatever you want.
Also wat. Java 7 no longer available? I mean, a quick Google search would verify that you didnât think that through heh.
Donât worry, Iâve stabbed multiple times my source. It wonât happen again.
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