A list of the new features in the JavaTM Platform, Standard Edition 6 (JavaTM SE) is now available on the Sun Developer Network (SDN). There is also a table with links to related bugs, enhancements, and JavaTM Specification Requests (JSRs). Below are details on enhancements in Collections Framework and Deployment.

Collections Framework Enhancements

Enhancements to the Collections Framework in Java SE 6 focus on the accuracy and clarity of the specification. The primary theme of the API changes was better bi-directional collection access. These new collection interfaces are provided:

• Deque (a double ended queue)
• BlockingDeque
• NavigableSet
• NavigableMap
• ConcurrentNavigableMap

The following concrete implementation classes have been added:

• ArrayDeque
• ConcurrentSkipListSet
• ConcurrentSkipListMap
• LinkedBlockingDeque
• AbstractMap.SimpleEntry
• AbstractMap.SimpleImmutableEntry

These existing classes have been retrofitted to implement new interfaces:

• LinkedList - retrofitted to implement the Deque interface.
• TreeSet - retrofitted to implement the NavigableSet interface.
• TreeMap - retrofitted to implement the NavigableMap interface.

Two new methods were added to the Collections utility class:

• newSetFromMap(Map) - creates a general purpose Set implementation from a general purpose Map implementation.

• asLifoQueue(Deque) - returns a view of a Deque as a Last-in-first-out (Lifo) Queue.

Deployment Enhancements

The format of the cache of JavaTM Web Start and JavaTM Plug-in has been completely changed. The caching mechanism and download engine are redesigned and consolidated between Java Web Start and Java Plug-in. This brings several new features to Java Web Start, previously available only in Java Plug-in and vice versa. They are:

• Caching can be disabled using the Java Control Panel.
• Java Web Start honors the maximum cache size set using Java Control Panel.
• Java Web Start can start a cleanup thread to remove Least Recently Used (LRU) items from the cache when approaching the maximum cache size.
• The <no-cache> directive is now supported. When the no-cache directive is used , an update check is made to make sure the cached contents are same as at the URL. The resource is then downloaded into the cache and the expiration field is ignored.
• The expiration-date is supported. If a downloaded resource contains an expiration date, it will not be used after that date.

In Java SE 6 unsigned Java Web Start applications that specify a version other than the latest one will trigger a security warning, requiring explicit user permission before the application will run. Signed Java Web Start applications are not affected.

See the list for other enhancements to the Java SE 6. [...read more...]

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