JDK-8263550 : JEP 407: Remove RMI Activation
  • Type: JEP
  • Component: core-libs
  • Sub-Component: java.rmi
  • Priority: P3
  • Status: Closed
  • Resolution: Delivered
  • Fix Versions: 17
  • Submitted: 2021-03-13
  • Updated: 2021-07-07
  • Resolved: 2021-07-07
Related Reports
Blocks :  
JDK-8267123 - Remove RMI Activation
Duplicate :  
JDK-8249556 - remove RMI Activation
Relates :  
JDK-8244917 - JEP 385: Deprecate RMI Activation for Removal
Sub Tasks
JDK-8269985 :  
Release Note: Removed RMI Activation - Resolved
Description
Summary
-------

Remove the Remote Method Invocation (RMI) Activation mechanism, while preserving the rest of RMI.

Motivation
----------

The RMI Activation mechanism is obsolete and disused. It was deprecated for removal by [JEP 385](http://openjdk.java.net/jeps/385) in Java SE 15. No comments were received in response to that deprecation. Please see [JEP 385](http://openjdk.java.net/jeps/385) for the full background, rationale, risks, and alternatives.

The Java EE Platform contained a technology called the [_JavaBeans Activation Framework_](https://github.com/javaee/activation) (JAF). This was later renamed to [_Jakarta Activation_](https://eclipse-ee4j.github.io/jaf/) as part of the [Eclipse EE4J](https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/ee4j) initiative. The JavaBeans Activation and Jakarta Activation technologies are completely unrelated to RMI Activation, and they are unaffected by the removal of RMI Activation from Java SE.

Description
----------

 * Remove the `java.rmi.activation` package from the Java SE API specification
 * Update the _RMI Specification_ to remove mentions of RMI Activation
 * Remove the JDK library code that implements the RMI Activation mechanism
 * Remove the JDK regression tests for the RMI Activation mechanism
 * Remove the JDK's `rmid` activation daemon and its documenation

Risks and Assumptions
----------

No comments were received in response to the deprecation of RMI Activation by [JEP 385](http://openjdk.java.net/jeps/385). However, this does not constitute proof that there are no dependencies on RMI Activation. It is still possible that some existing system will be broken by the removal of RMI Activation. In turn, the existence of such a system is not necessarily a compelling reason to keep RMI Activation  Instead, the removal of RMI Activation serves to emphasize the need for a better mitigation plan for that system. The plan does not need to be an emergency; an existing system that uses RMI Activation will continue to run for some time on older JDK versions that have long-term or extended support.