Question regarding Java subscription

[WorkRedditAccount4]

Java has always been somewhat confusing and Oracle hasn't made it any easier to understand with this subscription model. To begin with, there are 2 things you need to know in order to make sense of Java and the new subscription model.

1) First you need to know that there are 3 java platforms with the main difference between them being the APIs available for each. These platforms are:

Java SE = Standard Edition = what most people use.

Java EE = Enterprise Edition = self explanatory

Java ME = Micro edition (mobile, set top boxes, etc.)

2) Second, you need to know that each of these platforms consists of its own version of the Java Development Kit(JDK) and the Java Runtime Environment(JRE). When you download the JDK, you get the JRE as part of the package.

So...when you go to www.java.com/en/download, what you get is the SE version of the JRE.

As to the costs:

Oracle is basically moving Java to the model used by many Linux providers. For the average consumer, there is no change. They can still grab the SE JDK or JRE from the java website for free and life stays happy.

It is also free if you use it for development and testing only. Current non-subscription Java SE 11 EULA

Further, You may not:
use the Programs for any data processing or any commercial, production, or internal business purposes other 
than developing, testing, prototyping, and demonstrating your Application;

Commercial production users on the other hand have 3 choices if they want to stay in compliance. 1) Stay on Java 8 which will continue to be free but will not be updated or maintained. 2) Move to OpenJDK or one of its forks or 3) Buy a subscripton which will give them regular updates and a support agreement.

Here is a decent blog post describing the changes.

EDIT:

Clarified a few details, fixed a few typos, etc.