How has structured concurrency changed in recent Java versions?

Structured concurrency has evolved in recent Java versions to improve the way developers manage concurrent programming, making it more predictable and easier to understand. The birth of the java.util.concurrent package brought unprecedented advancements, but recent updates have further enhanced structured concurrency with features such as Virtual Threads and enhanced task management.

Earlier, developers had to deal with the complexity of nested threads and callbacks, leading to challenging debugging and error handling. Now, with structured concurrency, tasks can be organized in a more linear and hierarchical manner, allowing for better control of lifecycles, error propagation, and cancellation.

Furthermore, Project Loom, which introduced the concept of lightweight green threads, has brought synchronous-style programming to the concurrent execution context, allowing for simplified asynchronous programming without losing the benefits of concurrent execution.