Oracle Support for Java 8 with JavaFX Is Ending

In March 2025, Oracle ends support for JavaFX in JDK 8 and stop providing Java 8 builds with OpenJFX included. From the first security updates in April onward, Oracle JDK 8 will no longer be available with included JavaFX. This change brings several serious risks.

If you’re an Oracle Java 8 paying customer and you haven’t checked the Oracle Java SE Support Roadmap in a while, Oracle will end support for JavaFX in JDK 8 and stop providing Java 8 builds with OpenJFX included. This change will impact all use cases where Java 8 applications are used with the Oracle runtime, which needs JavaFX. This applies to desktop applications with a user interface, server-side image handling, infotainment applications in cars and planes, set-top boxes, etc.

If you do nothing, there are several very serious risks:

• Your CI/CD builds will fail as new Oracle JDK 8 versions no longer support JavaFX.
• You can’t fix these failing builds as JavaFX 8 is no longer maintained as an open-source project, and no separate downloads are available.
• If you decide to stick to the latest released Oracle Java 8 package with JavaFX, your system will become vulnerable to CVEs, as no new releases with fixes will become available. The same applies to bug fixes in Java and JavaFX for that version.

In other words, the only way you can continue using Oracle JDK 8 is to white-knuckle it and hope vulnerabilities in your system don’t get hacked.

Azul Is Here to Help with JavaFX 8 Changes

Since JDK 11, JavaFX has no longer been included in most distributions of OpenJDK, and you can download it separately from the OpenJFX website. OpenJDK and OpenJFX evolved as open-source projects on GitHub and follow the same release cadence, so both have been available in version 23 since September 2024.

Azul is one of the few OpenJDK distributors that still provides builds with JavaFX included, ensuring the combined OpenJDK and OpenJFX are fully compatible. You can find them as package type “JDK FX” on Azul Downloads. You can download Long Term Support versions 8, 11, 17, and 21, and Short Term Support version 23.

What are your options?

There are multiple solutions to nearly every problem, and here a couple:

• You can stop upgrading your Java 8 systems and stick to the latest release of Oracle Java 8 with JavaFX. However, as mentioned before, this comes with many CVEs and other risks.
• Upgrade your code to a newer Java version and use the free JavaFX runtime (17+). This brings additional profits, such as developer productivity, better memory use, etc. However, it also carries many risks, as you need to review your entire code base and runtime environment. You will also need additional extensive testing.

The best and easiest solution is this:

• Switch to Azul Zulu Builds of OpenJDK. Azul provides a build of OpenJDK 8 with JavaFX included. It fully supports the included components, including WebKit, multimedia, and more. As a result, you can use your code and compiled applications as-is.

Advantages of Azul Zulu Builds of OpenJDK

Azul ensures the OpenJFX code bundled in our runtimes is fully compatible with the OpenJDK version it comes with. This also means that CVEs impacting JavaFX are fixed in the quarterly CPU and PSU releases of the Azul Zulu Builds.

Check out Azul’s roadmap, and you will see that Java 8 will be supported until December 2030. This allows you to keep your systems running on version 8 for many years.

Conclusion

While it’s recommended that you update your applications to newer Java versions for many reasons, we understand that it’s not always possible or the investment is too significant. For JavaFX on JDK 8, time is running short with barely a month before security updates start breaking the environments of organizations that haven’t taken precautions. Why wouldn’t you choose a Java distribution that is affordable, stable, and uses the same code base as Oracle. Azul is here to help you keep your systems with JavaFX running on Java 8.