Bug ID: JDK-8162687 java.{vm.}?specification.version is always set to the Java major version

JDK-8162687 : java.{vm.}?specification.version is always set to the Java major version

Type: Bug
Component: other-libs
Affected Version: 9

Priority: P4
Status: Closed
Resolution: Not an Issue

Submitted: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2018-06-13
Resolved: 2018-06-13

Versions (Unresolved/Resolved/Fixed)

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Other
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Related Reports

Relates :	JDK-8162686 - (spec) java.{vm.}?specification is independent of java.version
Relates :	JDK-8204565 - (spec) Document java.{vm.}?specification.version system properties' relation to $FEATURE
Relates :	JDK-8149519 - Set java.specification.version to the MAJOR java version
Relates :	JDK-8204565 - (spec) Document java.{vm.}?specification.version system properties' relation to $FEATURE
Relates :	JDK-8192828 - JEP 322: Time-Based Release Versioning
Relates :	JDK-8061493 - JEP 223: New Version-String Scheme

Description

java.{vm.?}specification.version system properties are independent of java.version and are determined by the JCP (either a JSR or an Maintenance Release(MR)).  While it makes sense for these values to be $MAJOR for major releases, the JCP may choose to set them to other values during a subsequent MR.  In the case of Java SE 9, if there's ever an MR against JSR 379 (Java SE 9 Release Contents) the values may need to be updated to something besides $MAJOR.  

The value of the system property java.specification.version is currently set
in the build file common/autoconf/spec.gmk:

    VERSION_SPECIFICATION := @VERSION_MAJOR@

The value of the system property java.vm.specification.version is currently set in VM code in src/share/vm/runtime/arguments.cpp in the method Arguments::init_version_specific_system_properties(): 

    uint32_t spec_version = JDK_Version::current().major_version();

Ideally, these two issues should be handled at the same time.

Comments

As of JEP 322 ("Time-Based Release Versioning"), these properties are set based on VERSION_FEATURE. This is documented as of JDK-8204565. So this issue can be closed.

13-06-2018

The change needs to be done in hotspot to read the VERSION_SPECIFICATION value. The definition of VERSION_SPECIFICATION should reasonably stay at @VERSION_MAJOR@. If/when major and specification number diverges, fixing this in spec.gmk is a trivial one-line patch.

05-10-2016