Java JDK major releases and release differences

Java JDK Major Releases and Released diffences
Date	Version	Codename	New Features Introduced In that Release
1996-01-23	1.0	Oak?	Java released to public
1997-02-18	1.1	Sparkler	No longer supported. Added a totally new event model, using Listeners, anonymous classes and inner classes. This is the level Microsoft has trapped many of its customers at. Netscape proprietary RSA code signing. Microsoft proprietary CAB code signing.
1998-12-04	1.2	Playground	No longer supported. Added ArrayList and other Collections, added Swing. Added DSA code signing. Added BufferedImage
2000-05-08	1.3	Kestrel	No longer supported. java.util.Timer, java.lang. StrictMath, Runtime. addShutdownHook, java.awt. Robot, java.awt.print. PageAttributes, java.media.sound (MIDI and sampled). Hotspot introduced. RMI now has the option of using CORBA's IIOP protocol. Added RSA code signing, which quickly effectively obsoleted DSA certificates.
2002-02-13	1.4	Merlin	No longer supported. added regexes, assertions and nio.
2004-09-29	1.5	Tiger	added StringBuilder, java.util.concurrent, generics, enumerations and annotations.
2006-12-12	1.6	Mustang	System tray, subpixel antialiasing, Document-modal, Application-modal, Toolkit-modal, Applet splash screens, table sorting, true double buffering, digitally signed XML files, JAWS support for *.ico and *.png, JavaCompilerTool, JDBC 4.0, smart card API, Console.readPassword, improved drag & drop.
not released	1.7	Dolphin	There is still on-going discussion on what should be included.