In Java, default methods were added to interfaces in which version?

In Java, default methods were added to interfaces in which version?

• A. Java SE 7
• B. Java SE 8
• C. Java SE 9
• D. Java SE 6

Answer: (B)

Default methods in interfaces let you provide a concrete method implementation directly in the interface, so you can add new methods without forcing every implementing class to rewrite code. This helps evolve APIs smoothly—existing implementations continue to work because they inherit the default behavior unless they override it. It also supports a more flexible, lambda-friendly style by allowing interfaces to define behavior alongside their abstract methods. This capability was added in Java SE 8. Before that, interfaces could only declare abstract methods, so adding a new method would require touching every implementation. Java SE 9 later added private methods in interfaces as an additional enhancement, but the feature of default methods originates from Java SE 8.

Default methods in interfaces let you provide a concrete method implementation directly in the interface, so you can add new methods without forcing every implementing class to rewrite code. This helps evolve APIs smoothly—existing implementations continue to work because they inherit the default behavior unless they override it. It also supports a more flexible, lambda-friendly style by allowing interfaces to define behavior alongside their abstract methods. This capability was added in Java SE 8. Before that, interfaces could only declare abstract methods, so adding a new method would require touching every implementation. Java SE 9 later added private methods in interfaces as an additional enhancement, but the feature of default methods originates from Java SE 8.