# Jakarta Expression Language

> domain-specific language used in Jakarta EE web applications

**Wikidata**: [Q1399846](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1399846)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakarta_Expression_Language)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/jakarta-expression-language

## Summary
Jakarta Expression Language is a domain-specific programming language and technical specification used in Jakarta EE web applications. It was created by Sun Microsystems and is currently developed under the Eclipse Foundation with releases published under the Eclipse Public License 2.0 with a GPL linking exception.

## Key Facts
- Jakarta Expression Language is a domain-specific language used in Jakarta EE web applications.
- The language was created by Sun Microsystems.
- The Eclipse Foundation is the current developer of Jakarta Expression Language.
- The project is released under the Eclipse Public License 2.0 with a GPL linking exception.
- The preferred stable release is version 6.0.1, published on 2024-07-15.
- Previous notable releases include version 4.0.0 (release date referenced 2020-03-31, release metadata dated 2020-07-16) and version 3.0.3 (published 2019-08-14).
- Official API documentation is available at https://javadoc.io/doc/jakarta.el/jakarta.el-api/ (English).
- The source code repository is hosted at https://github.com/eclipse-ee4j/el-ri.
- Instance classifications: programming language and technical specification.
- Common aliases include EL 1.1, EL 2.1, EL 2.2, EL 3.0, EL 3.1 (TBD), Unified Expression Language, and Expression Language.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Jakarta Expression Language used for?
A: Jakarta Expression Language is a domain-specific programming language specified for use in Jakarta EE web applications. It is defined as a technical specification and used within the Jakarta EE ecosystem.

### Q: Who created and who maintains Jakarta Expression Language?
A: The language was created by Sun Microsystems and is currently developed and maintained by the Eclipse Foundation.

### Q: Under what license is Jakarta Expression Language published?
A: Jakarta Expression Language is published under the Eclipse Public License 2.0 with a GPL linking exception.

### Q: Where can I find the source code and API documentation?
A: The reference implementation source repository is https://github.com/eclipse-ee4j/el-ri and API documentation is available at https://javadoc.io/doc/jakarta.el/jakarta.el-api/.

## Why It Matters
Jakarta Expression Language is the standardized domain-specific language associated with Jakarta EE web applications, and as such it provides a defined specification within the Jakarta ecosystem. Its continued development and formal releases under the Eclipse Foundation ensure compatibility and a maintained reference implementation for projects relying on Jakarta EE technologies. The availability of stable releases (for example version 6.0.1 published 2024-07-15) and prior release history demonstrates an ongoing maintenance lifecycle. Licensing under the Eclipse Public License 2.0 with a GPL linking exception provides a clear legal framework for use and distribution within open-source and enterprise contexts. Because it is classified both as a programming language and a technical specification, Jakarta Expression Language occupies a formal role in Jakarta EE stacks and documentation, and its aliases (including Unified Expression Language) reflect its historical and cross-project usage.

## Notable For
- Being a domain-specific language defined for Jakarta EE web applications and recorded as a technical specification.
- Origins with Sun Microsystems and ongoing development by the Eclipse Foundation.
- Published under the Eclipse Public License 2.0 with a GPL linking exception.
- A trackable release history with the preferred stable release 6.0.1 dated 2024-07-15 and prior releases such as 4.0.0 and 3.0.3.
- Multiple widely used aliases, including Unified Expression Language and several EL x.y version labels.

## Body
### Overview
- Jakarta Expression Language is described as a domain-specific language used in Jakarta EE web applications.
- It is classified as both a programming language and a technical specification.
- It is said to be the same as the Unified Expression Language (alias relationship).

### Creation and Development
- Creator: Sun Microsystems.
- Developer / current steward: Eclipse Foundation.
- The project repository (reference implementation) is at https://github.com/eclipse-ee4j/el-ri.

### Licensing and Copyright
- License: Eclipse Public License 2.0 with a GPL linking exception.
- Copyright status: copyrighted.

### Versions and Release Dates
- Version 6.0.1: marked as the preferred stable version, qualifier date 2024-07-15 (release metadata referenced 2024-07-23).
- Version 4.0.0: qualifier date 2020-03-31; release metadata referenced with publication date 2020-07-16.
- Version 3.0.3: qualifier date 2019-08-14; release metadata referenced with publication date 2019-08-14.

### Documentation and Source
- Official API documentation (English): https://javadoc.io/doc/jakarta.el/jakarta.el-api/
- Source code repository: https://github.com/eclipse-ee4j/el-ri (repository associated with Jakarta EE / Eclipse projects).

### Identifiers and Metadata
- Freebase ID: /m/02pj8hk.
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/120x663m.
- Microsoft Academic ID (discontinued): 2780398314.
- Wikipedia title: Jakarta Expression Language.
- Wikipedia available languages: de, en, es, fr, hu, pt, ru, uk, zh.
- Sitelink count: 9.

### Aliases and Topics
- Known aliases: EL 1.1, EL 2.1, EL 2.2, EL 3.0, EL 3.1 (TBD), Unified Expression Language, Expression Language.
- Quora topic mapping: Expression-Language.

### Classification
- Instance of: programming language; technical specification.
- Said to be the same as: Unified Expression Language.

### References & Links
- API documentation: https://javadoc.io/doc/jakarta.el/jakarta.el-api/
- Reference implementation repository: https://github.com/eclipse-ee4j/el-ri
- Release references for specific versions available via project release pages and GitHub release tags as cited in release metadata.

## References

1. [Source](https://projects.eclipse.org/projects/ee4j.el/releases/4.0.0)
2. [Release 4.0.0. 2020](https://github.com/eclipse-ee4j/el-ri/releases/tag/4.0.0-RELEASE)
3. [Release 3.0.3. 2019](https://github.com/eclipse-ee4j/el-ri/releases/tag/3.0.3-RELEASE)
4. [Release 6.0.1. 2024](https://github.com/jakartaee/expression-language/releases/tag/6.0.1-RELEASE-api)
5. Quora