JDK Difference 1.8 vs 1.7 vs 1.6 .... 1.1

Java 8 (a.k.a 1.8) JSR 337, what's new Language changes: lambda expressions (JSR 335, includes method handles) continuation of Project Coin (small language improvements) annotations on Java types Library changes: Improved Date and Time API	Java 7 (a.k.a 1.7) JSR 336, features and enhancements Language changes: Project Coin (small changes) switch on Strings try-with-resources diamond operator Library changes: new abstracted file-system API (NIO.2) (with support for virtual filesystems) improved concurrency libraries elliptic curve encryption more incremental upgrades Platform changes: support for dynamic languages
Java 6 (a.k.a 1.6) JSR 270. features and enhancements Mostly incremental improvements to existing libraries, no new language features (except for the @Override snafu).	Java 5 (a.k.a 1.5) JSR 176, features and enhancements Language Changes: generics (that's the big one) annotations enum types varargs, enhanced for loops (for-each) Library changes: concurrency utilities in java.util.concurrent
Java 1.4 JSR 59 Language changes: the assert keyword Library changes: regular expressions support NIO integrated XML handling	Java 1.3 Mostly minor improvements, really. Platform changes: HotSpot JVM: improvement over the original JIT
Java 1.2 Language changes: the strictfp keyword Library changes: a unified collections system Swing as a new UI-System on top of AWT Platform changes a real JIT, greatly improving speed	Java 1.1 Language changes: inner classes Library changes: AWT event changes JDBC, RMI reflection
Java 1.0 Initial release, everything is new ;-)