Developer builds free daily app to help Java programmers keep up with new versions

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A software developer created NextPatch, a free web app designed to help Java developers stay current with the language's fast-moving release cycle, which ships a new version every six months. The tool offers short daily exercises — taking roughly three minutes — that cover language changes across version jumps such as Java 8 to 11 and Java 21 to 25. Each session includes a brief summary of one feature change paired with a coding challenge, such as fill-in-the-blank or bug-fixing tasks, graded server-side without executing user code. The app supports English, Spanish, and Catalan, includes XP tracking, streaks, and leaderboards, and requires no payment or subscription. Currently in beta and running on a Raspberry Pi via a Cloudflare Tunnel, the developer is seeking user feedback to guide future development.

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