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I have a list of Java version numbers like this:

1.6.0_10
1.5.0_15

How do I map these version numbers to the major versions Java 5, Java, 6, and Java 7? I've found documentation on how to understand the long version numbers, but not on how the major versions were decided.

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    The middle number is the major version and the last number is the update. so 1.6.0_10 is Java 6 update 10, and 1.5.0_15 is Java 5 update 15.
    – user2033671
    Commented Dec 9, 2013 at 20:48
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    Note that there has been no such thing as "Java 4". It was Java2, version 1.4.
    – Marko Topolnik
    Commented Dec 9, 2013 at 20:53
  • @MarkoTopolnik: The more you know. Thanks!
    – Kevin
    Commented Dec 9, 2013 at 20:54
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    Anyway, there's already an excellent wikipedia page about this which, as expected, presents the Java version history to nauseating detail.
    – Marko Topolnik
    Commented Dec 9, 2013 at 20:56

2 Answers 2

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As @Austin said, the last part of the number for example .0_10is the update number and not the major version. Here is the breakdown of "major" java version to version number:

Java 1 => 1.0 and 1.1

Java 2 => 1.2, 1.3, 1.4

Java 5 => 1.5

Java 6 => 1.6

Java 7 => 1.7

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    Only it was messier than that: in the beginning there was just Java, then Java2. By 1.5, Java2 was renamed back to just Java, while the minor version number was promoted to major, but only in the marketing name. The "real" version has kept the major version 1.
    – Marko Topolnik
    Commented Dec 9, 2013 at 21:02
  • @MarkoTopolnik yes I remember, but I think this was what the OP wanted.
    – dkatzel
    Commented Dec 9, 2013 at 21:04
  • Although the whole subject is quite moot, still this doesn't explain properly how it was because there was a "Java2 version 1.3", but not "Java5 version 1.5". In Java2, the 2 was not the version number.
    – Marko Topolnik
    Commented Dec 9, 2013 at 21:07
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Java 1.X <=> Java X if X > 4

If X <= 4, who cares anymore?

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