Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Zulu VS OpenJDK

Compare Zulu VS OpenJDK and see what are their differences

Zulu logo Zulu

Zulu is a professional DJ mixing software to mix and broadcast live music, audio and mp3s.

OpenJDK logo OpenJDK

OpenJDK is the free version of the Java development platform.
  • Zulu Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-23
  • OpenJDK Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-14

Zulu features and specs

  • Wide Platform Support
    Zulu offers binaries for a wide range of platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, which makes it versatile for developers working in different environments.
  • Open Source
    Zulu is based on OpenJDK, which is open source. This provides transparency, the ability to inspect the codebase, and the potential for community-driven improvements.
  • Compliance Certification
    Zulu is TCK-tested and certified as compliant with the Java SE standard, ensuring reliable performance and compatibility with Java applications.
  • Commercial Support
    Azul offers commercial support and additional services for Zulu, which can be beneficial for businesses seeking professional backing and long-term reliability.
  • Regular Updates
    Zulu provides regular updates and timely security patches, helping developers maintain up-to-date and secure Java installations.

Possible disadvantages of Zulu

  • Complex Licensing Options
    While Zulu is open source, understanding and navigating the various licensing options for commercial services might be complex for some users.
  • Dependency on Azul's Ecosystem
    Leveraging additional features and tooling often ties users into Azul's ecosystem, which may not be ideal for those seeking completely independent solutions.
  • Potential Overhead for Small Projects
    For very small projects or startups, the commercial support and additional features might be more than what is needed, leading to unnecessary overhead.
  • Java Version Compatibility
    While Zulu supports many platforms, users need to ensure compatibility with specific Java versions required by their applications, which can occasionally be an issue.

OpenJDK features and specs

  • Open Source
    OpenJDK is an open-source implementation of the Java Platform, Standard Edition, making it freely available for anyone to download, modify, and distribute.
  • Wide Adoption and Community Support
    It is the reference implementation of Java SE, backed by a large community and supported by major companies like Oracle, ensuring regular updates and security patches.
  • Compatibility
    OpenJDK is considered the official reference implementation for Java SE and is compatible with the Java standard, ensuring that applications run consistently across implementations.
  • No Licensing Fees
    Being open-source, OpenJDK does not require licensing fees, which can be beneficial for organizations looking to minimize costs.
  • Customizability
    The open-source nature allows developers to modify and extend the code to suit specific needs.

Possible disadvantages of OpenJDK

  • Potential Performance Variations
    Different builds of OpenJDK may have performance variations compared to the Oracle JDK, which can affect application efficiency.
  • Support Variability
    While community support is strong, official support and services, which might be required by enterprise environments, are often provided by third parties and may come with additional costs.
  • Patch Availability
    Security patches and updates may not be rolled out as quickly in some OpenJDK distributions compared to Oracle's commercial JDK.
  • Limited Features
    Some commercial features in Oracle JDK, such as advanced monitoring and commercial-grade performance monitoring tools, may not be present in OpenJDK.

Zulu videos

History Buffs: Zulu

More videos:

  • Review - Zulu Review (1964) Classic Film | Michael Caine | Stanley Baker
  • Review - Zulu (1964) Review Retrospective

OpenJDK videos

OpenJDK Development

More videos:

  • Review - The Launch Space - The Microsoft Build of OpenJDK and other useful Java things

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Zulu and OpenJDK)
IDE
28 28%
72% 72
Software Development
31 31%
69% 69
Text Editors
29 29%
71% 71
Developer Tools
30 30%
70% 70

User comments

Share your experience with using Zulu and OpenJDK. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenJDK seems to be a lot more popular than Zulu. While we know about 32 links to OpenJDK, we've tracked only 1 mention of Zulu. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Zulu mentions (1)

  • minecraft crashing with exit code 0
    From what I saw in Crash Logs on here and in other places that have to do with Java, many people seem to use Azul's Zulu OpenJDK, so you could also try installing that instead of the Microsoft Build (make sure to uninstall that first). Source: almost 4 years ago

OpenJDK mentions (32)

  • Oracle's Pioneering Role in Open Source and Blockchain: A Deep Dive
    Oracle’s seamless integration of open-source contributions and blockchain adoption is a testament to its forward-thinking approach and commitment to technological innovation. By supporting key projects like Java via the OpenJDK project and ensuring the robustness of its cloud solutions through the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Oracle demonstrates that true innovation is born from a culture of collaboration and... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Setting Up Your React Native Development Environment
    Visit the Oracle JDK download page or use OpenJDK. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Lisp Virtual Machine Design Question
    Reloading is nothing new under the sun for Lisp, I believe. For ML and adequate reload-ability, one might be hard pressed, but it's nothing new under the Sun (hint, hint). Maybe too on the nose, but one probably wants good inlining, and thus more "speculative" de/optimisation to preserve redefinition. Source: over 2 years ago
  • "Why Apache Harmony" or "How to use Java 8 on Android"
    If they don't want Oracle's Java, why can't they use a subset of OpenJDK (licensing noob here)? Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Replacement for Java?
    Does this change affect https://openjdk.java.net/ too? Source: about 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Zulu and OpenJDK, you can also consider the following products

Liberica JDK - Liberica is a 100% open-source Java 13.0.1 implementation.

AdoptOpenJDK - The code for Java is open source and available at OpenJDKâ„¢.

Microsoft OpenJDK - The Microsoft Build of OpenJDK is a new no-cost long-term supported distribution and Microsoft’s new way to collaborate and contribute to the Java ecosystem.

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

RedHat OpenJDK - The RedHat build of OpenJDK

Amazon Corretto - Amazon Corretto is a no-cost, multiplatform, production-ready distribution of the Open Java Development Kit (OpenJDK).