What is the difference between jersey2.x, jersey 3.x and jersey4.x and which one is recommended?

[Lastoneee]

What is the difference between jersey2.x, jersey 3.x and jersey4.x and which one is recommended?

[jansupol]

Jersey 2.x is Java EE / Jakarta EE 8 / JAX-RS 2.1 / Jakarta REST 2.1 compatible.
Jersey 3.0.x is Jakarta EE 9 / Jakarta REST 3.0 compatible.
Jersey 3.1.x is Jakarta EE 10 / Jakarta REST 3.1 compatible.
Jersey 4.0.x is Jakarta EE 11 / Jakarta REST 4.0 compatible.

While we would recommend using the latest, it is more on the environment that is to be used.
That depends on the JDK version as well as the container Jersey runs in.

If JDK 8 is to be used (still often a requirement), Jersey 2.x and 3.0 can be used, only. No Jersey 3.1 or 4.0
If JDK 11 is to be used, Jersey 4.0 cannot be used, as it requires JDK 17.

Then if for instance Tomcat is to be used, then
Tomcat 9 is for Jersey 2.x
Tomcat 10.0.x is for Jersey 3.0
Tomcat 10.1.x is for Jersey 3.1
Tomcat 11.x is for Jersey 4.0

Jersey is often bundled in products, such as in Payara, Glassfish, WebLogic, Helidon, or Jersey can be a part of Spring Boot.
Depending on the version of these products, the compatible version of Jersey is used there.

Jersey 2.x - Payara 5, Glassfish 5, WebLogic 12c (Jersey 2.22.4) , WebLogic 14, Helidon 2
Jersey 3.0 - Glassfish 6, Helidon 3
Jersey 3.1 - Payara 6, Glassfish 7, Helidon 4
Jersey 4.0 - Payara 7, Glassfish 8

[jansupol]

We plan to continue to maintain all versions of Jersey (except the obsolete Jersey 1, of course), yet.

There are products with planned releases with the latest Jersey 2.x, 3.0, and 3.1 versions. I personally guess that 2.x and 3.0 EOLs are bound with JDK 8 EOL (2030) but that decision has not been made, yet.

[Lastoneee]

Thank you

[Lastoneee]

One more question please, how long will jersey 2.x be maintained in the future?

[pizzi80]

@jansupol 🚀

put it on github homepage!!!

If I may suggest the 3.0 line could be put in EOL
because there should be no single reason to use it instead of 3.1

also Tomcat 10.0 is in EOL since 2022-10-31

[Lastoneee]

Okay, thanks.