Outlook: What’s New in Java 26

This chapter provides an overview of the new features planned for Java 26. At the time of writing, in January 2026, Java 26 has entered the feature-freeze phase, meaning that no additional functionality is expected to be introduced and the existing features are considered finalized, subject only to stabilization and final adjustments. The official release of Java 26 is scheduled for mid-March 2026 and is expected to include a total of ten JEPs (JDK Enhancement Proposals). As is typical for a non-LTS release, the number of entirely new enhancements not based on earlier previews or incubator features is relatively small.