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Since we recommend using Java with Mirth® Connect, it's important to consider licensing aspects. This topic covers frequently asked questions to help you understand Java licensing for Mirth® Connect.
In 2019, Oracle significantly changed licensing for official Oracle Java releases. You must now purchase a license in order to receive updates to the commercial version of Oracle Java. In response to this change, we officially added support for OpenJDK in Mirth® Connect and the Mirth® Appliance. OpenJDK receives free updates from Oracle for a period of 6 months following each release. While the Oracle OpenJDK distribution is recommended for use with Mirth® Connect, we strive to support third-party OpenJDK distributions as well such as AdoptOpenJDK, Azul Zulu, and Amazon Corretto. Third party distributions may receive extended security and stability updates from their respective communities (longer than Oracle's 6 months), but these are not guaranteed. This section provides a list of common questions and answers you may need when working with Java Licensing while using Mirth® Connect.
Does NextGen Healthcare provide an Oracle Java license with a commercial subscription of Mirth® Connect or the Mirth® Appliance?
No. If you wish to use Oracle's commercial distribution of Java, you will need to purchase a license with Oracle separately.
Do I need to purchase an Oracle Java license in order to use Mirth® Connect or the Mirth® Appliance?
No. The Mirth® Appliance and Mirth® Connect versions 3.7 and later now include support for OpenJDK, which does not require the purchase of an Oracle license.
What is OpenJDK?
OpenJDK is the official free and open-source implementation of Java led by Oracle.
What is the difference between OpenJDK and Oracle's commercial Java/JDK?
Oracle's commercial distribution of Java provides long-term release updates and support from Oracle. OpenJDK releases occur every 6 months and each release only receives security and stability patches for 6 months until the next release. See Oracle's OpenJDK FAQ for more info.
If I run Mirth® Connect on a Mirth® Appliance, how do I use OpenJDK?
Mirth® Appliance with the most recent software updates allow you to choose which Java Version to use:
Oracle OpenJDK (openjdk11_64) is the recommended OpenJDK distribution to use with Mirth® Connect and can be used without the need to purchase a license from Oracle.
If I run Mirth® Connect on my own hardware, how do I use OpenJDK?
You need to choose and install an OpenJDK distribution. Oracle's OpenJDK distribution is recommended and can be used without the need to purchase a license from Oracle. Other popular OpenJDK distributions include AdoptOpenJDK, Azul Zulu, and Amazon Corretto. These distributions may receive extended security and stability updates from their respective communities (longer than Oracle's 6 months), but these are not guaranteed.
You may also want to consider running Mirth® Connect using the official Mirth® Connect docker images. Docker images are available with varying OpenJDK distributions including Oracle OpenJDK and Azul Zulu.
What versions of Java can I use to run Mirth® Connect?
As of version 3.7 of Mirth® Connect, Java 8 and above are supported.