Java version statistics

Question

Where can I see statistics about the most used Java versions?

(I want to develop applications that will run on most systems)

Answer 1

Java Tools and Technologies Landscape Report 2016 (Zeroturnaround): https://zeroturnaround.com/rebellabs/java-tools-and-technologies-landscape-2016/#java-versions

Java version and vendor data analyzed 2017 (Plumbr): https://plumbr.io/blog/java/java-version-and-vendor-data-analyzed-2017-edition

Answer 2

Java 5 has been deprecated for a full year now at this point, leaving Servers that still run it at a full year of security issues that are not patched, and never will be. I'd say stick with Java 6. We don't write Software with Windows 95 or OSX 10.3 in mind either, do we? Sometimes it is time to tell the users to update their software.

Answer 3

You can make use of Google trends, they have a nice graphical view as well.

It wont show you the most used, but it will show you the most popular according to Google searches etc.

Answer 4

Version 1.6, update 11 enabled background upgrades so it will always be current. 70% of java installs are version 1.6. Stick with 1.6

http://www.statowl.com/java.php

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html

Answer 5

Unfortunately a high percentage of system have very old versions of Java or no Java at all.

I suggest you develop for Java 5. Any system which doesn't have this at least probibly should have it installed.

Answer 6

According to StatOwl, Java 6 has reached a 70% adoption rate.