JDK-8350686 : Release Note: Changes to the Default Time Zone Detection on Debian-based Linux
  • Type: Sub-task
  • Component: core-libs
  • Sub-Component: java.util:i18n
  • Affected Version: 25
  • Priority: P4
  • Status: Resolved
  • Resolution: Delivered
  • OS: linux_ubuntu
  • CPU: generic
  • Submitted: 2025-02-25
  • Updated: 2025-03-03
  • Resolved: 2025-03-03
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JDK 25
25Resolved
Description
On Debian-based Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, the `/etc/timezone` file was previously used to determine the JDK's default time zone (`TimeZone.getDefault()`). According to [Debian's Wiki](https://wiki.debian.org/TimeZoneChanges#Check_Configured_Timezone), `/etc/localtime` is now the primary source for the system's default time zone, making `/etc/timezone` redundant. As a result, the JDK's default time zone detection logic has been updated to use `/etc/localtime` instead of `/etc/timezone`. If `/etc/localtime` and `/etc/timezone` are inconsistent for any reason, the JDK's default time zone is now determined solely based on `/etc/localtime` file.