JavaFX 11, the first standalone release of the Java-based rich client technology, is now available. Oracle is removing JavaFX from the Java Development Kit (JDK) 11, given an overall desire to pull out noncore modules from the JDK and retire them or stand them up as independent modules.
The open source JavaFX 11 provides a client application platform for desktop, mobile, and embedded systems. JavaFX is a runtime available as a platform-specific SDK, as jmod files, and as a set of Maven central artifacts. With the JDK no longer including JavaFX, developers must explicitly include JavaFX modules in applications.
New capabilities in JavaFX 11 include:
- FX Robot API, for simulating user interaction including typing keys on the keyboard, using the mouse, and capturing graphical information.
- Standalone JavaFX modules no longer have permissions by default.
- Properties have been added to customize step repeat timing for the Spinner control.
- Support is offered for FX Swing interop, which comprises JFXPanel and SwingNode, using a public API.
- MarlinFX, the JavaFX port of the Marlin renderer, has been upgraded to Version 0.9.2, which has a higher curve accuracy and enhanced subpixel sampling. This improves visual quality of nearly vertical segments without, Oracles says, any performance cost.
- Standard colors have been added in the ColorPicker color palette.
- The Bounds class has been enhanced with the GetCenter method. This class provides min/max x and y coordinates along with width and height. A frequent use is to get to the center.
- The default GTX (Gimp Toolkit) has been switched to Version 3. The toolkit is a common, low-level graphical toolkit used on Linux. JavaFX on Linux links with GTX.
JavaFX 11 also fixes some bugs, including a memory leak in VirtualFlow when the screen reader was enabled, and another in which the table autoresize had ignored the column-resize policy.
JavaFX 11 does crash with OpenJDK 11 on Ubuntu 18.04 Linux PCs with the Wayland window server enabled. Use of the Xorg server is recommended as a workaround.
Where to download JavaFX 11
You can download JavaFX 11 from the OpenJFX website.