Short answer

Yes. OpenJDK builds such as Eclipse Temurin, Amazon Corretto, Azul Zulu, the Microsoft Build of OpenJDK, Red Hat's build and Oracle's own builds on jdk.java.net can be used in commercial production without paying a license fee; most are licensed under GPLv2 with the Classpath Exception. The build that is not free for commercial production is Oracle JDK under the Java SE OTN license, which covers Oracle JDK 8u211 and later, every Oracle JDK 11 release, 17.0.13 and later, and JDK 21 updates from the October 2026 CPU.

"Is Java free?" has a different answer depending on which binary you installed. The Java language and the OpenJDK source code are open source. What people install is a build of that source, and each build comes with its vendor's license. Most are free for any use. Oracle JDK is the one with conditions that changed over time.

Key facts: OpenJDK and Oracle JDK licensing
OpenJDK source licenseGNU GPL version 2 with the Classpath Exception1
Free for commercial productionOpenJDK builds from Adoptium (Temurin), Amazon (Corretto), Azul (Zulu), Microsoft, Red Hat, BellSoft (Liberica), SAP (SapMachine), IBM (Semeru) and Oracle's jdk.java.net
Needs a paid subscription for commercial productionOracle JDK under the Java SE OTN license12
Oracle JDK under OTN today8u211 and later, all of JDK 11, 17.0.13 and later; JDK 21 updates from October 20, 2026 (planned)
Oracle JDK under NFTC today17 to 17.0.12, 21 updates through September 2026, 25 (planned until September 2028)14
Oracle subscription metricPer employee, counting all employees, not only Java users15

OpenJDK is the source; a build is what you run

OpenJDK is the open-source project where Java SE is developed. Vendors compile that source, test it, sometimes add patches, and publish binaries with their own update schedules. Oracle does this twice: once as Oracle OpenJDK builds on jdk.java.net under the GPL,16 and once as Oracle JDK, its commercial build, under Oracle's own license terms.10 The code is nearly identical; the licenses are not.

License by vendor build

Common Java builds and whether commercial production use is free
BuildLicense, in the vendor's wordsFree in production?
Eclipse Temurin (Adoptium)GPLv2 with Classpath Exception; "provided at no cost to you by Adoptium to use, forever"2Yes
Amazon CorrettoGPLv2 with the Class Path Exception, "at no cost to you"3Yes
Azul Zulu (community builds)GPLv2 with Classpath Exception, zero licensing fees; Azul sells optional support4Yes
Microsoft Build of OpenJDK"no-cost … free for anyone to deploy anywhere"5Yes
Red Hat build of OpenJDKGPL, no cost; support comes with a Red Hat subscription6Yes
BellSoft Liberica JDK"completely free to use in production"7Yes
SAP SapMachine"completely free to use in development and production"8Yes
IBM Semeru RuntimesOpen Edition under GPLv2 with Classpath Exception; Certified Edition under a no-cost IBM license9Yes
Oracle OpenJDK (jdk.java.net)GPLv2 with Classpath Exception; Oracle updates each release for about six months10Yes, but move to a maintained build
Oracle JDKBCL, OTN or NFTC depending on the version10Depends on the version (next section)

This table lists licenses, not quality. Vendors differ in platforms, support length and update timing; pick on those grounds, and check each vendor's current support roadmap before you standardize.

Oracle JDK: three licenses over time

  • Binary Code License (BCL). Oracle JDK 8 up to 8u202, and JDK 9 and 10. Free for general-purpose desktops and servers, but "Commercial Features" needed a separate license.11
  • Oracle Technology Network License (OTN). Oracle JDK 8u211 and later, all JDK 11 to 16 releases, and JDK 17.0.13 and later. OTN allows personal use, development and testing, Oracle-approved products and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure; other use needs a license from Oracle.12
  • No-Fee Terms and Conditions (NFTC). JDK 17 to 17.0.12, JDK 21 updates through September 2026, and JDK 25. NFTC permits commercial and production use.13 Oracle plans later JDK 21 updates under OTN.14

A build keeps its license

Oracle's FAQ says you may keep using a release under the license you downloaded it under.10 An installed NFTC build doesn't become paid later. The exposure comes from Oracle builds already under OTN and from installing newer Oracle updates that are.

"Free" is not the same as "supported"

A free build still needs security updates. Every vendor above publishes updates on its own schedule for the versions it maintains, and some sell optional support contracts on top. Paying for support is a separate decision from the license to run the binary: none of these vendors requires a subscription to use their builds in production. The one real risk with a free build is letting it go unpatched, which is a security problem rather than a licensing one.

Does the GPL affect my own code?

The Classpath Exception lets you link your independent code with the Java class library without that code becoming subject to the GPL.1 In practice, running a closed-source Spring Boot service on Temurin or Corretto doesn't create GPL obligations for the service. Redistributing a modified JDK is a different situation; if you do that, get legal advice.

How to switch a host

  1. Find every Oracle JDK install and note its version (see how to find Oracle Java installations).
  2. Install an OpenJDK build of the same major version, for example temurin-21-jdk from the Adoptium repository, brew install --cask temurin@21, or winget install EclipseAdoptium.Temurin.21.JDK.
  3. Point JAVA_HOME, alternatives and service unit files at the new home, and change image bases (for example FROM eclipse-temurin:21-jre) and CI steps.
  4. Run your test suite and a canary deployment.
  5. Uninstall the Oracle build and disable Oracle's auto-updater so it can't come back.

How RuntimeClear helps

The free RuntimeClear scanner separates Oracle JDK from OpenJDK builds on each host using the same signals described here, and marks conflicting signals as needs review instead of guessing. The report tool shows the counts for free; the paid report lists each Oracle build with its license and the replacement commands for its platform.

This guide summarizes vendor and Oracle license pages to help you plan. It is not legal advice.

Questions

Is Eclipse Temurin free for commercial use?

Yes. Adoptium says Temurin is provided at no cost to use, forever, under GPLv2 with the Classpath Exception. Paid support from third parties is optional.

Can I mix Oracle JDK and OpenJDK builds in one company?

Yes, technically. Licensing is decided per build: OpenJDK builds stay free wherever they run, and Oracle JDK builds under OTN still need a subscription for commercial production use. Because Oracle's subscription is priced per employee, one OTN build in production can matter far more than its host count suggests.

Is switching from Oracle JDK to an OpenJDK build a drop-in replacement?

Usually, for the same major version: the builds come from the same OpenJDK source. Test anyway, especially for font rendering, bundled certificates, JavaFX, and tools or flags specific to one vendor.

Does the GPL make my own application open source?

Running your application on an OpenJDK build doesn't. The Classpath Exception exists so that code linked with the Java class library isn't covered by the GPL. If you redistribute a modified JDK, ask counsel.

Is Oracle JDK 25 free?

Oracle JDK 25 is under NFTC, which allows commercial and production use, and Oracle plans NFTC updates for it until September 2028. After that, the same pattern as JDK 17 and 21 is expected, but Oracle hasn't published those terms yet.

Sources

  1. OpenJDK: GNU General Public License v2 with the Classpath Exception Checked 2026-09-11.
  2. Eclipse Adoptium FAQprovided at no cost to you by Adoptium to use, forever Checked 2026-09-11.
  3. Amazon Corretto FAQs (license, no cost, Corretto 8 support until December 2030) Checked 2026-09-11.
  4. Azul Core (Zulu builds of OpenJDK) Checked 2026-09-11.
  5. Microsoft Build of OpenJDK overview Checked 2026-09-11.
  6. Red Hat build of OpenJDK Checked 2026-09-11.
  7. BellSoft Liberica JDK Checked 2026-09-11.
  8. SapMachine Checked 2026-09-11.
  9. IBM Semeru Runtimes downloads Checked 2026-09-11.
  10. Oracle JDK License General FAQs Checked 2026-09-11.
  11. Oracle Binary Code License Agreement for the Java SE Platform Products (BCL) Checked 2026-09-11.
  12. Oracle Technology Network License Agreement for Oracle Java SE (OTN) Checked 2026-09-11.
  13. Oracle No-Fee Terms and Conditions (NFTC) Checked 2026-09-11.
  14. Oracle Java SE Support Roadmap Checked 2026-09-11.
  15. Oracle Java SE Universal Subscription global price list (PDF) Checked 2026-09-11.
  16. jdk.java.net: Oracle's OpenJDK builds Checked 2026-09-11.