NOTE: This question is from 2014. As of Java 11 OpenJDK and Oracle JDK are converging.
Are there any crucial differences between Ora
The Oracle and OpenJDK JVMs are the same and have the same GC features (as of the latest versions 10+). Prior to Oracle managing the OpenJDK JVM there were concrete differences that made that old Openjdk JVM almost unusable in many environments. The JVMs are now the same.
The JDKs which include the JVM as part of the Kit, differ by licensing, release and maintenance schedule, and the software libraries included in the JDK. Crucial differences to me also mean things that would make code not run if not present. Not only licensing.
diff --brief -r openjdk oraclejdk
Crucially the following files are missing in addition to a bunch of others on the linux JDK (So if you 'claimed' that code didn't work on OpenJDK and did so on OracleJDK while you were using javafx then you were correct):
Only in jdk-10.0.1/bin: javapackager
Only in jdk-10.0.1/bin: javaws
Only in jdk-10.0.1/bin: jcontrol
Only in jdk-10.0.1/bin: jmc
Only in jdk-10.0.1/bin: jweblauncher
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: ant-javafx.jar
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: deploy
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: deploy.jar
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: desktop
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: fontconfig.bfc
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: fontconfig.properties.src
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: fontconfig.RedHat.6.bfc
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: fontconfig.RedHat.6.properties.src
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: fontconfig.SuSE.11.bfc
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: fontconfig.SuSE.11.properties.src
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: fonts
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: javafx.properties
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: javafx-swt.jar
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: java.jnlp.jar
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: javaws.jar
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: jdk.deploy.jar
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: jdk.javaws.jar
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: jdk.plugin.jar
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: jfr
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libavplugin-53.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libavplugin-54.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libavplugin-55.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libavplugin-56.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libavplugin-57.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libavplugin-ffmpeg-56.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libavplugin-ffmpeg-57.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libbci.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libcmm.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libdecora_sse.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libdeploy.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libfxplugins.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libglassgtk2.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libglassgtk3.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libglass.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libgstreamer-lite.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libjavafx_font_freetype.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libjavafx_font_pango.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libjavafx_font.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libjavafx_iio.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libjfxmedia.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libjfxwebkit.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libnpjp2.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libprism_common.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libprism_es2.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libprism_sw.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: librm.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: libt2k.so
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: locale
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: missioncontrol
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: oblique-fonts
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: plugin.jar
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib: plugin-legacy.jar
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib/security: blacklist
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib/security: public_suffix_list.dat
Only in jdk-10.0.1/lib/security: trusted.libraries
Only in openjdk-10.0.1: man`