elastic · breskeby · Aug 15, 2025 · Aug 15, 2025
diff --git a/BUILDING.md b/BUILDING.md
@@ -186,6 +186,25 @@ dependencies {
 
 To test an unreleased development version of a third party dependency you have several options.
 
+### How do I test against java early access (ea) versions?
+
+Currently only openjdk EA builds by oracle are supported.
+To test against an early access version java version you can pass the major
+java version appended with `-ea` as a system property (e.g. -Druntime.java=26-ea) to the Gradle build:
+
+```
+./gradlew clean test -Druntime.java=26-ea
+```
+
+This will run the tests using the JDK 26 EA version and pick the latest available build of the matching JDK EA version we expose
+in our custom jdk catalogue at `https://storage.googleapis.com/elasticsearch-jdk-archive/jdks/openjdk/latest.json`.
+
+To run against a specific build number of the EA build you can pass a second system property (e.g. `-Druntime.java.build=6`):
+
+```
+./gradlew clean test -Druntime.java=26-ea -Druntime.java.build=6
+```
+
 #### How to use a Maven based third party dependency via `mavenlocal`?
 
 1. Clone the third party repository locally
@@ -229,11 +248,8 @@ In addition to snapshot builds JitPack supports building Pull Requests. Simply u
 3. Run the Gradle build as needed. Keep in mind the initial resolution might take a bit longer as this needs to be built
 by JitPack in the background before we can resolve the adhoc built dependency.
 
----
-
-**NOTE**
-
-You should only use that approach locally or on a developer branch for production dependencies as we do
+> [!Note]
+> You should only use that approach locally or on a developer branch for production dependencies as we do
 not want to ship unreleased libraries into our releases.
 ---
 
@@ -265,10 +281,8 @@ allprojects {
   ```
 4. Run the Gradle build as needed with `--write-verification-metadata` to ensure the Gradle dependency verification does not fail on your custom dependency.
 
----
-**NOTE**
-
-As Gradle prefers to use modules whose descriptor has been created from real meta-data rather than being generated,
+> [!Note]
+> As Gradle prefers to use modules whose descriptor has been created from real meta-data rather than being generated,
 flat directory repositories cannot be used to override artifacts with real meta-data from other repositories declared in the build.
 For example, if Gradle finds only `jmxri-1.2.1.jar` in a flat directory repository, but `jmxri-1.2.1.pom` in another repository
 that supports meta-data, it will use the second repository to provide the module.

diff --git a/.../integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/fixtures/AbstractGitAwareGradleFuncTest.groovy b/.../integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/fixtures/AbstractGitAwareGradleFuncTest.groovy
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 package org.elasticsearch.gradle.fixtures
 
 import org.apache.commons.io.FileUtils
-import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.test.InternalAwareGradleRunner
 import org.gradle.testkit.runner.GradleRunner
 import org.junit.Rule
 import org.junit.rules.TemporaryFolder

diff --git a/...l/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/JdkDownloadPluginFuncTest.groovy b/...l/src/integTest/groovy/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/JdkDownloadPluginFuncTest.groovy
@@ -33,13 +33,18 @@ class JdkDownloadPluginFuncTest extends AbstractGradleFuncTest {
     private static final String ADOPT_JDK_VERSION_15 = "15.0.2+7"
     private static final String AZUL_JDK_VERSION_8 = "8u302+b08"
     private static final String AZUL_8_DISTRO_VERSION = "8.56.0.23"
+    private static final String CATALOG_EA_VERSION = "25-ea+30"
     private static final String OPEN_JDK_VERSION = "12.0.1+99@123456789123456789123456789abcde"
     private static final Pattern JDK_HOME_LOGLINE = Pattern.compile("JDK HOME: (.*)")
 
+    def setup() {
+        configurationCacheCompatible = false // JDK class references configurations which break configuration cache
+    }
+
     @Unroll
-    def "jdk #jdkVendor for #platform#suffix are downloaded and extracted"() {
+    def "jdk #distributionVersion #jdkVendor for #platform#suffix are downloaded and extracted"() {
         given:
-        def mockRepoUrl = urlPath(jdkVendor, jdkVersion, platform, arch);
+        def mockRepoUrl = urlPath(jdkVendor, jdkVersion, platform, arch, distributionVersion);
         def mockedContent = filebytes(jdkVendor, platform)
         buildFile.text = """
             plugins {
@@ -77,21 +82,26 @@ class JdkDownloadPluginFuncTest extends AbstractGradleFuncTest {
 
         where:
         platform  | arch      | jdkVendor       | jdkVersion           | distributionVersion   | expectedJavaBin          | suffix
-        "linux"   | "x64"     | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION    | null                  | "bin/java"               | ""
-        "linux"   | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPEN_JDK_VERSION     | null                  | "bin/java"               | ""
-        "linux"   | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPENJDK_VERSION_OLD  | null                  | "bin/java"               | "(old version)"
-        "windows" | "x64"     | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION    | null                  | "bin/java"               | ""
-        "windows" | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPEN_JDK_VERSION     | null                  | "bin/java"               | ""
-        "windows" | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPENJDK_VERSION_OLD  | null                  | "bin/java"               | "(old version)"
-        "darwin"  | "x64"     | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION    | null                  | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | ""
-        "darwin"  | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPEN_JDK_VERSION     | null                  | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | ""
-        "darwin"  | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPENJDK_VERSION_OLD  | null                  | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | "(old version)"
-        "mac"     | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPEN_JDK_VERSION     | null                  | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | ""
-        "mac"     | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPENJDK_VERSION_OLD  | null                  | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | "(old version)"
-        "darwin"  | "aarch64" | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION    | null                  | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | ""
-        "linux"   | "aarch64" | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION    | null                  | "bin/java"               | ""
-        "linux"   | "aarch64" | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION_11 | null                  | "bin/java"               | "(jdk 11)"
-        "linux"   | "aarch64" | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION_15 | null                  | "bin/java"               | "(jdk 15)"
+        "linux"   | "aarch64" | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | CATALOG_EA_VERSION   | "ea"                  | "bin/java"               | ""
+        "linux"   | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | CATALOG_EA_VERSION   | "ea"                  | "bin/java"               | ""
+        "darwin"  | "aarch64" | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | CATALOG_EA_VERSION   | "ea"                  | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | ""
+        "darwin"  | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | CATALOG_EA_VERSION   | "ea"                  | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | ""
+        "windows" | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | CATALOG_EA_VERSION   | "ea"                  | "bin/java"               | ""
+        "linux"   | "x64"     | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION    | ""                    | "bin/java"               | ""
+        "linux"   | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPEN_JDK_VERSION     | ""                    | "bin/java"               | ""
+        "linux"   | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPENJDK_VERSION_OLD  | ""                    | "bin/java"               | "(old version)"
+        "windows" | "x64"     | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION    | ""                    | "bin/java"               | ""
+        "windows" | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPEN_JDK_VERSION     | ""                    | "bin/java"               | ""
+        "windows" | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPENJDK_VERSION_OLD  | ""                    | "bin/java"               | "(old version)"
+        "darwin"  | "x64"     | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION    | ""                    | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | ""
+        "darwin"  | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPEN_JDK_VERSION     | ""                    | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | ""
+        "darwin"  | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPENJDK_VERSION_OLD  | ""                    | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | "(old version)"
+        "mac"     | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPEN_JDK_VERSION     | ""                    | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | ""
+        "mac"     | "x64"     | VENDOR_OPENJDK  | OPENJDK_VERSION_OLD  | ""                    | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | "(old version)"
+        "darwin"  | "aarch64" | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION    | ""                    | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | ""
+        "linux"   | "aarch64" | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION    | ""                    | "bin/java"               | ""
+        "linux"   | "aarch64" | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION_11 | ""                    | "bin/java"               | "(jdk 11)"
+        "linux"   | "aarch64" | VENDOR_ADOPTIUM | ADOPT_JDK_VERSION_15 | ""                    | "bin/java"               | "(jdk 15)"
         "darwin"  | "aarch64" | VENDOR_ZULU     | AZUL_JDK_VERSION_8   | AZUL_8_DISTRO_VERSION | "Contents/Home/bin/java" | "(jdk 8)"
     }
 
@@ -214,13 +224,19 @@ class JdkDownloadPluginFuncTest extends AbstractGradleFuncTest {
     private static String urlPath(final String vendor,
                                   final String version,
                                   final String platform,
-                                  final String arch = 'x64') {
-        if (vendor.equals(VENDOR_ADOPTIUM)) {
+                                  final String arch = 'x64',
+                                  final String distributedVersion = '') {
+        final boolean isOld = version.equals(OPENJDK_VERSION_OLD);
+
+        if (distributedVersion.equals("ea")) {
+            def effectivePlatform = isMac(platform) ? "macos" : platform;
+            def fileExtension = platform.toLowerCase().equals("windows") ? "zip" : "tar.gz";
+            return "/jdks/openjdk/25/openjdk-${version}/openjdk-${version}_$effectivePlatform-${arch}_bin.$fileExtension";
+        } else if (vendor.equals(VENDOR_ADOPTIUM)) {
             final String module = isMac(platform) ? "mac" : platform;
             return "/jdk-" + version + "/" + module + "/${arch}/jdk/hotspot/normal/adoptium";
         } else if (vendor.equals(VENDOR_OPENJDK)) {
             final String effectivePlatform = isMac(platform) ? "macos" : platform;
-            final boolean isOld = version.equals(OPENJDK_VERSION_OLD);
             final String versionPath = isOld ? "jdk1/99" : "jdk12.0.1/123456789123456789123456789abcde/99";
             final String filename = "openjdk-" + (isOld ? "1" : "12.0.1") + "_" + effectivePlatform + "-x64_bin." + extension(platform);
             return "/java/GA/" + versionPath + "/GPL/" + filename;

diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/Jdk.java b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/Jdk.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ public class Jdk implements Buildable, Iterable<File> {
         "(\\d+)(\\.\\d+\\.\\d+(?:\\.\\d+)?)?\\+(\\d+(?:\\.\\d+)?)(@([a-f0-9]{32}))?"
     );
     private static final Pattern LEGACY_VERSION_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("(\\d)(u\\d+)\\+(b\\d+?)(@([a-f0-9]{32}))?");
+    private static final Pattern EA_VERSION_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("(\\d+)-ea\\+(\\d+)(@([a-f0-9]{32}))?");
 
     private final String name;
     private final FileCollection configuration;
@@ -78,7 +79,9 @@ public String getVersion() {
     }
 
     public void setVersion(String version) {
-        if (VERSION_PATTERN.matcher(version).matches() == false && LEGACY_VERSION_PATTERN.matcher(version).matches() == false) {
+        if (VERSION_PATTERN.matcher(version).matches() == false
+            && LEGACY_VERSION_PATTERN.matcher(version).matches() == false
+            && EA_VERSION_PATTERN.matcher(version).matches() == false) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("malformed version [" + version + "] for jdk [" + name + "]");
         }
         parseVersion(version);
@@ -112,7 +115,7 @@ public void setArchitecture(final String architecture) {
     }
 
     public String getDistributionVersion() {
-        return distributionVersion.get();
+        return distributionVersion.getOrNull();
     }
 
     public void setDistributionVersion(String distributionVersion) {
@@ -218,9 +221,17 @@ private void parseVersion(String version) {
         if (jdkVersionMatcher.matches() == false) {
             // Try again with the pre-Java9 version format
             jdkVersionMatcher = LEGACY_VERSION_PATTERN.matcher(version);
-
             if (jdkVersionMatcher.matches() == false) {
-                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Malformed jdk version [" + version + "]");
+                // Try again with the pre-Java9 version format
+                jdkVersionMatcher = EA_VERSION_PATTERN.matcher(version);
+                if (jdkVersionMatcher.matches() == false) {
+                    throw new IllegalArgumentException("Malformed jdk version [" + version + "]");
+                }
+                baseVersion = version;
+                major = jdkVersionMatcher.group(1);
+                build = jdkVersionMatcher.group(2);
+                hash = null;
+                return;
             }
         }
 

diff --git a/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/JdkDownloadPlugin.java b/build-tools-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/JdkDownloadPlugin.java
@@ -114,6 +114,15 @@ private void setupRepository(Project project, Jdk jdk) {
                     + jdk.getBuild()
                     + "/[module]/[classifier]/jdk/hotspot/normal/adoptium";
             }
+        } else if (jdk.getVendor().equals(VENDOR_OPENJDK) && "ea".equals(jdk.getDistributionVersion())) {
+            repoUrl = "https://builds.es-jdk-archive.com/";
+            // current pattern since 12.0.1
+            artifactPattern = "jdks/openjdk/"
+                + jdk.getMajor()
+                + "/openjdk-"
+                + jdk.getBaseVersion()
+                + "/"
+                + "openjdk-[revision]_[module]-[classifier]_bin.[ext]";
         } else if (jdk.getVendor().equals(VENDOR_OPENJDK)) {
             repoUrl = "https://download.oracle.com";
             if (jdk.getHash() != null) {

diff --git a/...-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/info/GlobalBuildInfoPlugin.java b/...-internal/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gradle/internal/info/GlobalBuildInfoPlugin.java
@@ -12,8 +12,12 @@
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
 
 import org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils;
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.Architecture;
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.OS;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.VersionProperties;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.BwcVersions;
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.Jdk;
+import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.JdkDownloadPlugin;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.conventions.GitInfoPlugin;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.conventions.info.GitInfo;
 import org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.conventions.info.ParallelDetector;
@@ -22,6 +26,7 @@
 import org.gradle.api.Action;
 import org.gradle.api.GradleException;
 import org.gradle.api.JavaVersion;
+import org.gradle.api.NamedDomainObjectContainer;
 import org.gradle.api.Plugin;
 import org.gradle.api.Project;
 import org.gradle.api.logging.Logger;
@@ -63,6 +68,7 @@
 import javax.inject.Inject;
 
 import static org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.conventions.GUtils.elvis;
+import static org.elasticsearch.gradle.internal.toolchain.EarlyAccessCatalogJdkToolchainResolver.findLatestEABuildNumber;
 
 public class GlobalBuildInfoPlugin implements Plugin<Project> {
     private static final Logger LOGGER = Logging.getLogger(GlobalBuildInfoPlugin.class);
@@ -92,11 +98,13 @@ public GlobalBuildInfoPlugin(
 
     @Override
     public void apply(Project project) {
+
         if (project != project.getRootProject()) {
             throw new IllegalStateException(this.getClass().getName() + " can only be applied to the root project.");
         }
         this.project = project;
         project.getPlugins().apply(JvmToolchainsPlugin.class);
+        project.getPlugins().apply(JdkDownloadPlugin.class);
         Provider<GitInfo> gitInfo = project.getPlugins().apply(GitInfoPlugin.class).getGitInfo();
 
         toolChainService = project.getExtensions().getByType(JavaToolchainService.class);
@@ -270,7 +278,9 @@ private JavaVersion determineJavaVersion(String description, File javaHome, Java
     private InstallationLocation getJavaInstallation(File javaHome) {
         return getAvailableJavaInstallationLocationSteam().filter(installationLocation -> isSameFile(javaHome, installationLocation))
             .findFirst()
-            .orElseThrow(() -> new GradleException("Could not locate available Java installation in Gradle registry at: " + javaHome));
+            .orElse(
+                InstallationLocation.userDefined(javaHome, "Manually resolved JavaHome (not auto-detected by Gradle toolchain service)")
+            );
     }
 
     private boolean isSameFile(File javaHome, InstallationLocation installationLocation) {
@@ -338,7 +348,14 @@ private Provider<File> findRuntimeJavaHome() {
         String runtimeJavaProperty = System.getProperty("runtime.java");
 
         if (runtimeJavaProperty != null) {
-            return resolveJavaHomeFromToolChainService(runtimeJavaProperty);
+            if (runtimeJavaProperty.toLowerCase().endsWith("-ea")) {
+                // handle EA builds differently due to lack of support in Gradle toolchain service
+                // we resolve them using JdkDownloadPlugin for now.
+                Integer major = Integer.parseInt(runtimeJavaProperty.substring(0, runtimeJavaProperty.length() - 3));
+                return resolveEarlyAccessJavaHome(major);
+            } else {
+                return resolveJavaHomeFromToolChainService(runtimeJavaProperty);
+            }
         }
         if (System.getenv("RUNTIME_JAVA_HOME") != null) {
             return providers.provider(() -> new File(System.getenv("RUNTIME_JAVA_HOME")));
@@ -353,6 +370,23 @@ private Provider<File> findRuntimeJavaHome() {
         });
     }
 
+    private Provider<File> resolveEarlyAccessJavaHome(Integer runtimeJavaProperty) {
+        NamedDomainObjectContainer<Jdk> container = (NamedDomainObjectContainer<Jdk>) project.getExtensions().getByName("jdks");
+        Integer buildNumber = Integer.getInteger("runtime.java.build");
+        if (buildNumber == null) {
+            buildNumber = findLatestEABuildNumber(runtimeJavaProperty);
+        }
+        String eaVersionString = String.format("%d-ea+%d", runtimeJavaProperty, buildNumber);
+        Jdk jdk = container.create("ea_jdk_" + runtimeJavaProperty, j -> {
+            j.setVersion(eaVersionString);
+            j.setVendor("openjdk");
+            j.setPlatform(OS.current().javaOsReference);
+            j.setArchitecture(Architecture.current().javaClassifier);
+            j.setDistributionVersion("ea");
+        });
+        return providers.provider(() -> new File(jdk.getJavaHomePath().toString()));
+    }
+
     @NotNull
     private Provider<File> resolveJavaHomeFromToolChainService(String version) {
         Property<JavaLanguageVersion> value = objectFactory.property(JavaLanguageVersion.class).value(JavaLanguageVersion.of(version));