总而言之:

JRE = JVM + Java包(如util, math, lang, awt, swing等)+ 运行时库 JDK = JRE +开发/调试工具

如果你想用java开发，你需要JDK，但如果你只想运行java，你需要JRE。

简单的图片来说明JDK、JRE、JDK。

JDK一般来说，它只会安装在开发环境中，比如在开发人员中，在公司的实时QA系统中。在服务器上运行的原始代码将没有JDK。

JRE是JDK的一部分，也可以独立安装在服务器上。在处理用户请求的实时服务器中，只安装JRE和开发人员开发的代码(*.class格式)

JVM Developer开发的代码>在开发机器上测试和执行。执行阶段需要Java的媒介。

.class文件不是本地代码(cpu能理解的代码)。如果.java文件直接转换为本机代码，则无法实现WORA(一次编写，随处运行)的概念。

本机代码因操作系统而异。所以，Java创建了一个叫做。class的中间文件和一个叫做“JVM”的神奇程序。将.class转换为本机代码是JVM的职责。

JVM是Java虚拟机-它实际上运行Java字节码。

JRE是Java运行时环境——其中包含JVM，并且是运行Java程序所需要的。

JDK是Java开发工具包——它是JRE，但添加了javac(这是编译Java源代码所需的工具)和其他编程工具。

OpenJDK是一个特定的JDK实现。

Java是一种语言，它包含严格的强类型语法。

Java 2平台标准版，也称为J2SE，指的是平台，并包括Java中的类。Lang和java。IO包，等等。它是构建Java应用程序的基础。

Java虚拟机(JVM)是运行已编译Java代码的软件虚拟机。因为编译后的Java代码只是字节码，JVM负责在运行字节码之前将其编译为机器码。(这通常被称为即时编译器或JIT编译器。)JVM还负责内存管理，这样应用程序代码就不必这么做了。

Java开发工具包，或称JDK，过去是，现在仍然是Java开发人员用来创建Java应用程序的软件。它包含一个Java语言编译器、一个文档生成器、用于处理本机代码的工具，以及(通常)用于平台的Java源代码，以启用调试平台类。

Java运行时环境(JRE)过去是，现在仍然是最终用户下载来运行已编译的Java应用程序的软件。它包含一个JVM，但不包含JDK中绑定的任何开发工具。但是，JDK确实包含JRE。

JVM

The Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is the virtual machine that runs the Java bytecodes. The JVM doesn't understand Java source code; that's why you need compile your *.java files to obtain *.class files that contain the bytecodes understood by the JVM. It's also the entity that allows Java to be a "portable language" (write once, run anywhere). Indeed, there are specific implementations of the JVM for different systems (Windows, Linux, macOS, see the Wikipedia list), the aim is that with the same bytecodes they all give the same results.

JDK和JRE

要解释JDK和JRE之间的区别，最好是阅读Oracle文档并参考图:

Java Runtime Environment (JRE) The Java Runtime Environment (JRE) provides the libraries, the Java Virtual Machine, and other components to run applets and applications written in the Java programming language. In addition, two key deployment technologies are part of the JRE: Java Plug-in, which enables applets to run in popular browsers; and Java Web Start, which deploys standalone applications over a network. It is also the foundation for the technologies in the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) for enterprise software development and deployment. The JRE does not contain tools and utilities such as compilers or debuggers for developing applets and applications. Java Development Kit (JDK) The JDK is a superset of the JRE, and contains everything that is in the JRE, plus tools such as the compilers and debuggers necessary for developing applets and applications.

注意，Oracle并不是唯一提供jdk的公司。

OpenJDK

OpenJDK是JDK的开源实现，也是Oracle JDK的基础。Oracle JDK和OpenJDK之间几乎没有区别。

区别在这个博客中说明:

Q: What is the difference between the source code found in the OpenJDK repository, and the code you use to build the Oracle JDK? A: It is very close - our build process for Oracle JDK releases builds on OpenJDK 7 by adding just a couple of pieces, like the deployment code, which includes Oracle's implementation of the Java Plugin and Java WebStart, as well as some closed source third party components like a graphics rasterizer, some open source third party components, like Rhino, and a few bits and pieces here and there, like additional documentation or third party fonts. Moving forward, our intent is to open source all pieces of the Oracle JDK except those that we consider commercial features such as JRockit Mission Control (not yet available in Oracle JDK), and replace encumbered third party components with open source alternatives to achieve closer parity between the code bases.

JDK 11的更新

Donald Smith的一篇文章试图消除Oracle JDK和Oracle的OpenJDK之间的差异:https://blogs.oracle.com/java-platform-group/oracle-jdk-releases-for-java-11-and-later

正如@Alan Evangelista在评论中提到的，Java Web Start已被Oracle在Java SE 9中弃用，并在Java SE 11中删除。

JVM是执行Java代码的虚拟机

JRE是运行Java应用程序所需的环境(标准库和JVM)

JDK是带有开发人员工具和文档的JRE

OpenJDK是一个开源版本的JDK，不像Oracle拥有的普通JDK