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Azul Zulu vs Microsoft Build of OpenJDK: catalog facts
Azul Zulu	Microsoft Build of OpenJDK
Best for: Developers who need a specific Java version installed on any desktop OS	Best for: Java developers who want a free, long-term supported JDK
Free The Zulu builds of OpenJDK are free to download from Azul.	Free Free of charge and open source.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Builds for every current long-term Java version, back to Java 8 Packages for Windows, macOS and Linux from one page All 3 strengths for Azul Zulu Builds for every current long-term Java version, back to Java 8 Packages for Windows, macOS and Linux from one page Based directly on OpenJDK	Long-term supported releases at no cost Builds for macOS, Linux and Windows All 3 strengths for Microsoft Build of OpenJDK Long-term supported releases at no cost Builds for macOS, Linux and Windows Patches are upstreamed to OpenJDK by default
A runtime and toolkit, with no graphical tools of its own Many vendors ship near-identical OpenJDK builds, so the choice is often about support	One of many OpenJDK distributions with similar contents Support focus leans towards Microsoft's own ecosystem
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0 with Classpath Exception	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Azul Zulu azul.com/downloads Catalog checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Microsoft Build of OpenJDK microsoft.com/openjdk Catalog checked October 1, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.