JDK-7090875 : Latest JavaDocs available at constant URL
  • Type: Enhancement
  • Component: tools
  • Sub-Component: javadoc(tool)
  • Affected Version: 7
  • Priority: P5
  • Status: Closed
  • Resolution: Won't Fix
  • OS: windows_7
  • CPU: x86
  • Submitted: 2011-09-15
  • Updated: 2017-12-13
  • Resolved: 2017-12-13
Description
A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
URLs to the API docs are commonly linked from technical sites and forums.  Most commonly it is advantageous to link to the latest version of the documentation.

Right now the *latest* version of the J2SE API docs might be available at:

http://download.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/

But as time goes on, it will become..

http://download.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/


As an alternative, have the latest docs available via..

http://download.oracle.com/javase/docs/api/

Redirect to whatever version of the JavaDocs is considered 'the latest' at that moment in time.  A good time to do that would be the moment the JRE ships to end users, though other times are also valid.

This has a number of advantages:
1. Provides a single URL for linking that will not become stale.  If a class or method was recommended 5 years ago, but has now been deprecated, the end user of the information will become warned of that (and presumably, the replacement).
2. It would allow search engines to optimize for the latest docs.  At the moment if you were to search on JFrame in Google, the top hit would be to the 1.4.2 docs, then 6, then 5.  It is necessary to add '7' to the class name in order to return a hit to the version 7 docs.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
http://download.oracle.com/javase/docs/api/javax/swing/JFrame.html

This URL should lead to the latest JavaDocs for JFrame.
ACTUAL -
404 'Not Found' error code.

URL OF FAULTY DOCUMENTATION :
http://download.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/