Azul is the only Java leader besides Oracle that delivers both quarterly Critical Patch Updates (CPUs) and monthly Critical Security Patch Updates (CSPUs), which are the security-only, stability-first builds enterprises require. Deploy updates faster and with more confidence to keep your Java applications stable, regression-free, and secure from AI-era threats.
Azul also provides out-of-cycle updates, as well as Patch Set Updates (PSUs) which are full, quarterly updates that combine bug fixes, new features, and security patches.
Azul Core is verified compliant with Java SE, so your new and existing applications can run without modification.
JVM Inventory, a feature of Azul Intelligence Cloud, catalogs running JVMs to accelerate classification, streamline migration, and simplify tracking of Oracle Java instances, slashing months off OpenJDK migration timelines and helping to ensure ongoing Oracle Java licensing compliance and audit defense.
Azul indemnifies Azul Core subscribers and protects their software from copyleft contamination.
Azul Core support plans offer redistribution-ready downloadable runtimes, access to all security updates, and technical support. Azul sales will work with you to determine the packaging requirements and pricing model needed to match your needs.
“For universities concerned with the possibility of an Oracle audit and considering a switch from Oracle Java, I’d say: Just call Azul. The surprisingly smooth transition to Azul Core across more than 1,000 applications took only two weeks and will save us over half a million dollars annually.”
“The migration saved us 80% in subscription costs and helped us gain an excellent overview of our Java landscape.”
Azul was able to provide access to CPUs at a much more competitive price point than Oracle. In addition, Azul’s support was excellent: they were able to answer my migration-related questions quickly, accurately, and professionally. Thanks to Azul, all of the software tools/software applications that I manage are now using the world’s best-supported builds of OpenJDK (i.e. Azul Core).
“We are a cybersecurity company. Our customers are Fortune 500 companies that maintain their entire network configuration and precious security assets in our system, so we are very sensitive to vulnerabilities in both the JDK and our software. It’s imperative for us to have a Java vendor that we can trust deploying new quarterly Java updates within minutes of Oracle releases. Azul Core earned our trust with rigorous certifications, timely deliveries, and trustworthy reputation.”
“Nobody needs Oracle Java anymore. If you need support, the clear answer is: switch to Azul.”
We offer two levels of enterprise technical support subscriptions to meet your business and application requirements — both built for the AI era, with SLA-backed, security-only updates, as well as out-of-cycle fixes for zero-day threats so you can remediate critical CVEs fast. All backed by highly trained support engineers with deep expertise in the JVM, memory management, Java performance, and production application visibility.
There’s a reason Azul has a 100% customer satisfaction rating: our relentless focus on helping customers unleash the true power of Java.
Long Term Support (LTS) based on 8+2 year product lifecycle model.
Includes stabilized security updates, root cause analysis, performance analysis and tuning. Experienced engineers on call worldwide 24x7x365.
Our drop-in solution and advisory services reduce the cost and risk of migrating from Oracle to Azul.
Ensure compatibility of Azul Zulu Builds of OpenJDK (Azul’s 100% open source, certified builds of OpenJDK) and Oracle’s proprietary Java SE 6-8.
Garbage Collection Log Analyzer (GCLA) is a tool to view and interpret Java heap, pause time, and operating system metrics gathered while running the Azul Zulu Builds of OpenJDK.
Measure the pauses and stalls (or “hiccups”) associated with an application’s underlying Java runtime platform.
Our Java experts are ready to answer your questions and show you how much you could save by switching to Azul — and how to turn that savings into fuel for your AI roadmap.
*Based on Oracle Java SE subscription pricing for server deployments
While Java’s core platform (OpenJDK) is fully open source under the GNU General Public License v2 with Classpath Exception (GPLv2+CE), Oracle Java is only partially open source.
Oracle contributes heavily to the open source OpenJDK project, but Oracle JDK — the builds Oracle distributes — includes proprietary components and has required a paid commercial license since 2019. Running Oracle JDK in production without a subscription puts organizations at risk of audit and compliance penalties.
Yes. OpenJDK is the official reference implementation of Java SE and is fully open source under GPLv2+CE. Anyone can download, use, and distribute it without paying licensing fees. Many OpenJDK vendors, including Azul, do just that. See how they compare.
Yes. Azul Zulu builds of OpenJDK such as Azul Core are built on 100% open source and pass the Java SE Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK), guaranteeing your applications will run without modification.
Azul Core adds enterprise-grade commercial support, providing the freedom and transparency of open source, backed by production-ready SLAs, security updates, the longest support lifecycles in the industry, and a dedicated team of expert Java engineers.
As a certified, drop-in replacement for Oracle Java SE with no proprietary strings attached, Azul Core has a 100% migration success rate. By eliminating Oracle licensing exposure, enterprises typically gain budget savings of up to 70% that can be used to help fund AI initiatives.
OpenJDK is free for commercial use under GPLv2+CE. Oracle JDK is not — Oracle’s 2019 license change made it a paid product for production environments, creating significant licensing liability for organizations that didn’t switch.
Azul Core provides fully supported OpenJDK builds with no commercial licensing fees. You get the security updates, SLAs, and expert support that production workloads demand, at up to 70% lower cost than Oracle Java.
Yes and no:
This is a common source of confusion since both OpenJDK and Oracle JDK are often referred to simply as “Java.”
Azul Core builds on this freedom by adding IP indemnification, protecting subscribers from copyleft contamination claims. You get commercially safe OpenJDK with full legal and technical backing.
Yes, OpenJDK can be used commercially, free of charge. The GPLv2+CE license is specifically designed to allow OpenJDK to be used as a runtime for any application, including commercial ones, without triggering copyleft obligations on your own code.
Azul Core builds on this freedom by adding IP indemnification, protecting subscribers from copyleft contamination claims. You get commercially safe OpenJDK with full legal and technical backing.
OpenJDK can be installed via package managers (apt, brew, dnf/yum, winget), Docker images, or direct downloads from distribution providers. The specific steps depend on your OS and OpenJDK provider.
Azul offers the broadest coverage of any provider, including every LTS and current release, across Linux, macOS, and Windows, for x64, ARM, Alpine, and more. Install via package manager, container image, or direct download at azul.com/downloads.
Yes and no:
Azul offers both an unlicensed Community Availability (CA) and, through Azul Core, a licensed Subscriber Availability (SA) version of our Zulu builds of OpenJDK:
Support timelines vary by provider and Java version. The OpenJDK community maintains each LTS release (Java 8, 11, 17, 21 and 25) for several years, after which the community designates the release as End Of Life (EOL). At that point, organizations must upgrade to a newer release or else find an OpenJDK vendor that continues to provide security fixes.
Azul Core follows an 8+2 year LTS lifecycle, which is well beyond most OpenJDK providers. For organizations still on Java 6 or 7, Azul also offers Legacy Production Support for versions long past OpenJDK and Oracle EOL, ensuring continuity without a forced upgrade.
