apache/iceberg · error · GradleException

This build must be run with JDK 17 or 21 but was executed wi

Error message

This build must be run with JDK 17 or 21 but was executed with JDK 

What it means

Build-environment guard in build.gradle: the JVM running Gradle is neither JDK 17 nor JDK 21, which are the only supported versions for building this Iceberg checkout. The message reports the actual JDK; switch the launcher JVM (e.g. via JAVA_HOME or toolchains) and rerun.

Source

Thrown at build.gradle:78

                              "--add-opens", "java.base/java.math=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/java.net=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/java.nio=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/java.text=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/java.time=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/java.util.concurrent.atomic=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/java.util.concurrent=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/java.util.regex=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/java.util=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/jdk.internal.ref=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/jdk.internal.reflect=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.sql/java.sql=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/sun.util.calendar=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/sun.nio.ch=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/sun.nio.cs=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/sun.security.action=ALL-UNNAMED",
                              "--add-opens", "java.base/sun.util.calendar=ALL-UNNAMED"]
} else {
  throw new GradleException("This build must be run with JDK 17 or 21 but was executed with JDK " + JavaVersion.current())
}

tasks.withType(AbstractArchiveTask).configureEach {
  preserveFileTimestamps = false
  reproducibleFileOrder = true
}

apply plugin: 'com.gorylenko.gradle-git-properties'
// git properties file for the root project for adding to the source tarball
gitProperties {
  gitPropertiesName = 'iceberg-build.properties'
  gitPropertiesResourceDir = file("${rootDir}/build")
  extProperty = 'gitProps'
  failOnNoGitDirectory = true
  keys = ['git.branch', 'git.build.version', 'git.closest.tag.name','git.commit.id.abbrev', 'git.commit.id',
          'git.commit.message.short', 'git.commit.time', 'git.tags']
  version = projectVersion
}

View on GitHub (pinned to 86d9c8fc54)

Solutions

1. Set JAVA_HOME to a JDK 17 or 21 installation before running Gradle
2. Configure the Gradle JVM in the IDE to JDK 17/21
3. Use a toolchain/SDK manager (e.g. sdk, mise) to select the correct JDK
4. Pin a JDK 17/21 in CI images

Example fix

// before
export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-11-openjdk
// after
export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-17-openjdk && ./gradlew build

if (!['17','21'].contains(JavaVersion.current().majorVersion)) {
  println "Use JDK 17 or 21; found ${JavaVersion.current()}"
  System.exit(1)
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running ./gradlew with JAVA_HOME pointing at JDK 8, 11, or a JDK newer than 21.

Common situations: Machine default JDK differs from project requirement; IDE Gradle JVM misconfigured; CI image with wrong Java toolchain.

Understand the failure class

Background: "unsupported platform" / "not supported on this platform" errors: what they mean and how to fix them — this error's family across 47 libraries.

Related errors

• Neither version.txt nor git version exists:
• Releases must be built with Java 17
• The JMH benchmarks must be run with JDK 17 or JDK 21
• WARNING: Missing ${depsFile.name} in ${projectDir}. Run: ./g
• ============================================================

AI-assisted analysis of apache/iceberg@86d9c8fc54 (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2e70f3fa3166fe7f. Report an issue: GitHub.