These tools include the requisite applications to program, code, compile, debug, and test programs. The JDK includes a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) that is designed to run on the operating system of the development computer as well as a number of programming tools. It contains an all-inclusive development environment targeted towards Java developers. It is licensed under the GPL and is free for developers to use. The JDK is now maintained by the Oracle Corporation. At the time of the announcement, Sun contributed the source code of the project to OpenJDK.

Sun Microsystems released the JDK on May 8 th, 2007 under the GPL (GNU General Public License) making it free to use software.

The JDK has been one of the most downloaded and used development platforms since the release of the Java development platform.

It can also refer to Java EE or Java ME implementations released by Oracle in the form of binary products targeted to Java developers that work on the Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, or Solaris platforms. The JDK (Java Development Kit) most commonly refers to an implementation of the Java SE or Java 2 SE.

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