Explain the features released in different Java versions.

Java 1.4

XML Processing
Java Print Service
Logging API
Java Web Start
JDBC 3.0 API
Assertions
Preferences API
Chained Exception
IPv6 Support
Regular Expressions
Image I/O API

Java 1.5

Generics
Enhanced for Loop
Autoboxing/Unboxing
Typesafe Enums
Varargs
Static Import
Metadata (Annotations)
Instrumentation

Java 1.6

Scripting Language Support
JDBC 4.0 API
Java Compiler API
Pluggable Annotations
Native PKI, Java GSS, Kerberos and LDAP support
Integrated Web Services
Lot more enhancements

Java 1.7

Strings in switch Statement
Type Inference for Generic Instance Creation
Multiple Exception Handling
Support for Dynamic Languages
Try with Resources
Java nio Package
Binary Literals, underscore in literals
Diamond Syntax
Automatic null Handling

Java 1.8

Lambda Expressions
Pipelines and Streams
Functional Interfaces
Date and Time API
Default and Static Methods
Type Annotations
Repeating Annotations
HashMap performance improvement
Nashhorn JavaScript Engine
Concurrent Accumulators
Parallel operations
PermGen Error Removed
TLS SNI

Author: Mahesh

Technical Lead with 10 plus years of experience in developing web applications using Java/J2EE and web technologies. Strong in design and integration problem solving skills. Ability to learn, unlearn and relearn with strong written and verbal communications.