Amazon Corretto, a no-cost, multiplatform, production-ready distribution of the Open Java Development Kit (OpenJDK), is Amazon’s answer to providing a high-quality, secure, and stable Java runtime environment to developers and enterprises. With its name “Corretto” derived from the Italian word for “correct,” the focus of this project is on delivering a reliable and up-to-date implementation of the Java SE specification. Amazon Corretto aims to address the challenges faced by businesses and developers in ensuring the stability, security, and performance of Java applications while staying true to the principles of open-source software.
The development of Amazon Corretto began in response to the needs of Amazon Web Services (AWS) and the larger Amazon ecosystem. With a vast and diverse range of services and applications relying on Java, Amazon recognized the importance of having a robust and well-supported Java runtime. By leveraging the OpenJDK, the freely available reference implementation of the Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE), Amazon could build Corretto on a foundation of community-driven development and open collaboration.
Amazon Corretto adheres to a strict quarterly release schedule that aligns with the long-term support (LTS) releases of OpenJDK. This approach ensures that Corretto users receive timely updates, security fixes, and performance enhancements. With LTS releases, Amazon Corretto provides critical updates for at least five years from the initial General Availability (GA) date. This predictable release cadence and extended support period give enterprises the confidence and stability they require to run their Java workloads in production environments.
One of the primary advantages of Amazon Corretto is its multiplatform support. It is available for a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, covering both x64 and ARM architectures. This versatility allows developers to build and deploy Java applications on various platforms, whether in on-premises data centers or cloud environments. For AWS customers, the availability of Corretto as an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) and as part of AWS Lambda makes it a seamless choice for running Java workloads on the AWS cloud.
In addition to LTS releases, Amazon Corretto offers preview builds, providing early access to new features and enhancements. The preview builds allow developers to experiment with upcoming Java features and provide feedback to the Corretto team. This iterative feedback loop enables Amazon to refine and improve Corretto continually, ensuring that it remains aligned with the evolving needs of the Java community and enterprise users.
Security is a top priority for Amazon Corretto. In addition to promptly incorporating security updates from the OpenJDK project, Amazon has its own security experts dedicated to monitoring and addressing potential vulnerabilities. Amazon Corretto also undergoes regular security assessments and compliance checks to ensure that it meets the stringent security requirements of enterprise environments.
Another significant aspect of Amazon Corretto is its focus on performance and optimization. The Corretto team works to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks to deliver a high-performance runtime for Java applications. Regular performance testing and benchmarking are conducted to ensure that Corretto maintains competitive performance with other Java distributions.
The adoption of Amazon Corretto is not limited to just new Java projects. For existing applications running on other Java runtimes, Amazon provides tools and documentation to facilitate a smooth migration to Corretto. This streamlined migration process allows developers to take advantage of the benefits of Amazon Corretto without significant disruption to their existing applications.
Amazon’s commitment to the open-source community is evident in its contributions to the OpenJDK project. By actively participating in the development and enhancement of OpenJDK, Amazon ensures that the changes made to Corretto are shared with the broader Java ecosystem. This collaborative approach fosters innovation and benefits the entire Java community.
Amazon Corretto is an open-source, production-ready distribution of the OpenJDK, offering a secure, stable, and high-performance Java runtime environment for developers and enterprises. With its multiplatform support and adherence to the quarterly LTS release cycle, Corretto provides a reliable foundation for Java applications in diverse environments. By actively engaging with the Java community and contributing to the OpenJDK project, Amazon demonstrates its commitment to delivering a robust and well-supported Java runtime for the benefit of the broader Java ecosystem. As businesses and developers seek to build and deploy Java applications with confidence, Amazon Corretto emerges as a compelling choice for powering their Java workloads.
The success of Amazon Corretto can be attributed to its unwavering focus on customer needs and continuous improvement. As part of Amazon’s customer-centric philosophy, Corretto actively seeks feedback from its users to identify areas for enhancement and refinement. This open feedback loop allows the Corretto team to address issues quickly, prioritize feature requests, and align the roadmap with the real-world requirements of developers and enterprises.
Beyond its technical features, Amazon Corretto also stands out for its transparent and clear licensing model. Corretto is distributed under the same open-source licenses as OpenJDK, namely the GNU General Public License, version 2, with the Classpath Exception (GPLv2+CE) and the GNU Lesser General Public License, version 2.1, with the Classpath Exception (LGPLv2.1+CE). This licensing approach ensures that Corretto remains freely available for all users, fostering open collaboration and accessibility to Java technology.
Corretto’s integration with AWS services and tooling further enhances its appeal for developers working within the Amazon ecosystem. For AWS customers, Corretto is the recommended and supported Java runtime for various AWS services. This seamless integration simplifies the deployment and management of Java applications on the AWS cloud, providing a unified and consistent experience for developers.
Amazon Corretto has earned the trust of enterprises and developers across diverse industries. Its track record of delivering timely updates, performance optimizations, and security enhancements has made it a reliable choice for mission-critical Java applications. The extended support period for LTS releases ensures that enterprises can maintain stability and continuity in their Java workloads, giving them the confidence to scale and grow their businesses without concerns about the underlying Java runtime.
Furthermore, Amazon Corretto has a thriving and active community of developers, providing support, documentation, and resources for users worldwide. This community-driven approach fosters knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and best practices, enriching the overall Corretto experience for users of all skill levels.
Looking ahead, the future of Amazon Corretto appears promising as it continues to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of Java development. With its commitment to open-source principles and contributions to the OpenJDK project, Corretto is well-positioned to remain at the forefront of Java runtime distributions. As the Java language and ecosystem continue to evolve, Amazon Corretto’s dedication to providing a stable, secure, and high-performance runtime environment will undoubtedly resonate with enterprises and developers alike.
In conclusion, Amazon Corretto is a compelling and robust distribution of the OpenJDK, catering to the needs of developers and enterprises seeking a reliable and well-supported Java runtime environment. With its quarterly LTS release cycle, multiplatform support, and focus on security and performance, Corretto offers a stable foundation for Java applications in a wide range of environments. Amazon’s commitment to open-source collaboration and active contributions to the Java community further solidify Corretto’s position as a trusted and valuable Java runtime distribution. As the Java ecosystem continues to evolve, Amazon Corretto’s adaptability and customer-centric approach make it a compelling choice for those seeking a high-quality and freely available Java runtime.
