# Embracing Java 8 language features

DevFeed: [Embracing Java 8 language features](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/embracing-java-8-language-features-28659.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://jeroenmols.com/blog/2017/07/21/java8language/>)

Author: info@jeroenmols.com (Jeroen Mols)

Published: 2017-07-21T00:00:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Jeroen Mols](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/jeroen-mols.md>)

Topics: [Java](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/java.md>), [Android](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/android.md>), [Android Studio](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/android-studio.md>), [Gradle](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/gradle.md>), [toolchain](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/toolchain.md>)

Tags: [android](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/android.md>), [android-studio](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/android-studio.md>), [blogs](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/blogs.md>), [functional](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/functional.md>), [gradle](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/gradle.md>), [guide](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/guide.md>), [java](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/java.md>), [java-8](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/java-8.md>), [lambda](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/lambda.md>), [toolchain](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/toolchain.md>), [tools](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tools.md>)

## AI overview

This tutorial explains how Android Studio 3.0 added backported support for most Java 8 language features across Android API levels. It covers enabling the features, configuring the Gradle plugin and toolchain, and using lambda expressions and method references to reduce boilerplate.

## Source excerpt

For years Android developers have been limited to Java 6 features. While RetroLambda or the experimental Jack toolchain would help, proper support from Google was notably missing.