Java8 not supported with the provided core component .jar

[cuener]

Expected Behaviour
After Installing core components v. 2.27.0 package bundle will start automatically and resolve all dependencies.

Actual Behaviour
The package installs but the bundle doesn't start, throwing an error about missing a requirement of java 11.

Steps to Reproduce
Start an instance of AEM 6.5 running on Java 8
Upload https://codeload.github.com/adobe/aem-core-wcm-components/zip/refs/tags/core.wcm.components.reactor-2.27.0 via packmgr and install.
Note that the bundle doesn't start, and there is an error stack trace in the logs.
Platform and Version
AEM 6.5 on Java 8 SP 20

Logs taken while reproducing problem
Cannot start (org.osgi.framework.BundleException: Unable to resolve com.adobe.cq.core.wcm.components.core [850](R 850.0): missing requirement [com.adobe.cq.core.wcm.components.core [850](R 850.0)] osgi.ee; (&(osgi.ee=JavaSE)(version=11)) Unresolved requirements: [[com.adobe.cq.core.wcm.components.core [850](R 850.0)] osgi.ee; (&(osgi.ee=JavaSE)(version=11))])
org.osgi.framework.BundleException: Unable to resolve com.adobe.cq.core.wcm.components.core [850](R 850.0): missing requirement [com.adobe.cq.core.wcm.components.core [850](R 850.0)] osgi.ee; (&(osgi.ee=JavaSE)(version=11)) Unresolved requirements: [[com.adobe.cq.core.wcm.components.core [850](R 850.0)] osgi.ee; (&(osgi.ee=JavaSE)(version=11))]

aem-core-wcm-components-core.wcm.components.reactor-2.27.0.zip
Manifest-Version: 1.0
...
Bundle-ManifestVersion: 2
Bundle-Name: Adobe Experience Manager Core WCM Components Core Bundle
Bundle-RequiredExecutionEnvironment: JavaSE-11
Bundle-SymbolicName: com.adobe.cq.core.wcm.components.core
Bundle-Version: 2.27.0
...

[krassib]

I am confirming the issue. It seems that starting from 2.26.0 the aem.java.version was bumped to 11.

https://github.com/adobe/aem-core-wcm-components/blob/main/parent/pom.xml#L59

[beo4]

#2755 with this Pull request its introduced. do not understand why this change in conjunction with l18n implies a Java upgrade.
[SITES-21656] OOTB Experience Fragment Localization Issue for /eu/fr Site by @alexandru-stancioiu in #2755

https://github.com/adobe/aem-core-wcm-components/releases/tag/core.wcm.components.reactor-2.26.0
the release notes from 2.26.0 do not state the removal of java 8 support

As far as I understand removing of the Java 8 support should be treated as an incompatible change and should be reflected in an upgrade of major version. version 2.26 and 2.27 should be removed as this leads to compications and replaced with 3.0

[krassib]

@alexandru-stancioiu - any reason why Java 8 was removed in the bellow commit? My customer is still using Java 8 and cannot upgrade to latest Core Components due to the below change.

d844a0e

[ky940819]

I suspect it was dropped because io.wcm.testing.aem-mock.junit5 was upgraded from 5.1.0 -> 5.5.2 (link to change).

You can see the compatibility matrix for aem-mock on their website
https://wcm.io/testing/aem-mock/

Realistically, Java 8 is probably going to have to upgrade eventually - but as it is still a supported JVM version by AEM and also still listed as a supported version for this project, the issue should probably be corrected.

[alexandru-stancioiu]

Hello guys,
ky940819 is right. We needed a fix in that library and then realised newer versions of it were compiled with Java 11, hence we were forced to remove Java 8 support for entire core components project.
AEM 6.5 is fully compatible with JVM Java version 11, so I see no reason not to upgrade.
I missed to update the README, will do it. Thanks for pointing that out, ky940819.