It is said that the only constant is change, which is abundantly clear with the licensing of Oracle Java. Since 2018, with the introduction of a new OpenJDK release cadence and specific long-term support (LTS) versions, we’ve seen four significant modifications to both the license conditions and pricing which have had an impact on enterprises using Java within their organizations.
Initially, we saw the introduction of the Oracle Technology Network License Agreement (OTNLA). Prior to this, everyone had considered the Java platform to be free, including maintenance in the form of regular updates. (Technically, the field of use restriction meant you would need to pay a license fee if you used Java for embedded or single-use applications.)
The OTNLA is much more restrictive. Unless you are using the Oracle JDK for personal use (like playing Minecraft), development, testing, Oracle-approved applications, or in the Oracle Cloud, you will need to pay to buy a Java SE Subscription. The OTNLA applied to Oracle JDK 8 update 211 and later, as well as Oracle JDK 11.
