Which Java version introduced lambda expressions?

Lambda expressions were introduced in Java 8 as part of the significant enhancements to the language. This release marked a major shift towards functional programming, making Java more powerful and expressive. With lambda expressions, developers can write more concise and readable code by reducing boilerplate syntax, particularly in situations where anonymous classes were previously used, such as passing behavior as arguments to methods.

The introduction of lambda expressions was accompanied by other significant features in Java 8, such as the Stream API and the new Date and Time API. These features have made Java more modern and competitive with other programming languages that had already embraced functional programming paradigms. The Stream API, in particular, allows developers to work with collections of data in a functional style, making operations like filtering, mapping, and reducing more intuitive and efficient.

Java 8 also introduced the concept of default methods in interfaces, which, along with lambda expressions, made interfaces more flexible and powerful. This combination of features has transformed Java into a more versatile and modern language, enabling developers to write code that is not only more readable but also more maintainable and efficient.