• Oracle's Changes: Oracle shook up the Java world by changing the support roadmap, release cycle, etc. for Java and related technologies. Business JavaFX applications run on Oracle JDK 8 due to stability concerns. After January 2019, public updates for Oracle JDK 8 won't be provided for "business, commercial, or production use" without a commercial license. JavaFX support will also end. Free support for JavaFX 8 will last until March 2022, and it will be removed from Java SE as of Java SE 11.
• Solution: OpenJDK: OpenJDK is the future of Java and the JVM. Oracle provides binary OpenJDK releases for Linux, Mac, and Windows but not OpenJDK 8 binaries. There are some folks providing OpenJFX builds, but relying on them has risks. With OpenJFX (an OpenJDK project), one can compile and build against JavaFX in the open under the GPL v2 w/ Classpath Exception. Gluon provides OpenJFX 11 builds.
• Support from the OpenJDK Community: Members like IBM, RedHat, Azul, Eclipse, and AdoptOpenJDK have plans to support Java 8 until 2023. Azul provides "ZuluFX" builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux (x64 bit only). This article shows how to set up an open Java/JavaFX solution on Windows using AdoptOpenJDK and other tools.
• Prerequisites and Directions: Prerequisites include Windows 10 x64, a code editor, and 10+ GB of free space. Directions involve downloading and configuring various software like AdoptOpenJDK, Cygwin, Microsoft Visual Studio, etc. and setting environment variables. The process also includes cloning the OpenJDK source, making some edits to configuration files, and running gradle commands to build and create an overlay.
• Demo and Acknowledgments: The article is partially adapted from a webpage. Special thanks to Chris Newland, Arunprasad Rajkumar, and Carl Walker for technical assistance. The instructions are the author's own and don't necessarily reflect their opinions.