5 Trends to Watch in the Java Ecosystem

Over the last couple of months, a number of announcements have been made that have changed the Java ecosystem. These changes could have a long-term impact on Java developers and the Eclipse community. This week at JavaOne, I expect we will hear about a lot of these changes. For the most part, I think there are five key trends that all Java developers will need to watch. If you can’t make it to JavaOne, many of these trends will also be highlighted at EclipseCon Europe.

1. Adoption of Java 9

Java 9 is finally out the door. This release has been a long time in development, so now the process of adoption will begin. The first step in adoption is making sure developer tools work with Java 9. Eclipse JDT, for example, supported Java 9 from day 1.

At EclipseCon Europe, there are a number of sessions focused on Java 9, including:

• Eclipse JDT supports Java 9
• Session on Java 9 Reactive Streams
• JDT embraces Java 9 – An insiders’ view
• Experience report on using Java 9 as an application server

2. A More Open Java SE Future

Oracle has made two key announcements for Java SE and OpenJDK:

1. OpenJDK is moving to a 6-month release schedule. This should allow for more rapid innovation in Java SE, but it will have an impact on the overall ecosystem.

2. OpenJDK will start shipping Java SE binaries that are equivalent to the Oracle JDK. This essentially removes the field of use restrictions for Java SE. This could have a big impact for Java in areas like the Internet of Things.

Donald Smith, the Oracle Product Manager for Java SE, will be talking about the current status of Java SE and future changes.

3. Release of Eclipse OpenJ9

Earlier this year, IBM announced their intention to open source their J9 VM. The first release of the Eclipse OpenJ9 is now available, and the response has been very positive. The potential of having another production-ready Java virtual machine available in open source is going to give Java developers more choices.

Charlie Grace from the Eclipse OpenJ9 project will be giving an introduction to OpenJ9 at ECE.

4. A Focus on Java Microservices with Eclipse Microprofile

The movement towards microservices architectures is a theme pervasive across the entire software industry. Creating and deploying Java as microservices is something I expect we will hear a lot about at JavaOne and beyond. The Eclipse Microprofile project is working very hard and fast to create specifications for Java microservices. The project has accomplished a lot over the last year, and I expect we will hear a lot more in the coming months.

At EclipseCon Europe, lots of sessions from the leaders in the Microprofile project:

• Eclipse MicroProfile: What is it? Is it a JavaEE replacement?
• MicroProfile, Java EE, and the Application Server — Oh My!
• The Monitoring aspects of Eclipse MicroProfile
• Eclipse MicroProfile Config and OSGi Config Admin

5. Java EE Moves to the Eclipse Foundation

Finally, Oracle's announcement to move Java EE to the Eclipse Foundation will be something to watch in the coming year. Oracle is moving very fast to engage the large Java EE community. It is definitely going to be a process that will need the contribution of many, many people.

At EclipseCon Europe we will have two talks on Java EE:

• David Delabassée from Oracle will give Java EE 8 is final… Now what?
• There will be a panel to discuss the process of moving Java EE to the Eclipse Foundation.

Next year at JavaOne, the Java ecosystem could be substantially different. It is definitely going to be more open and, in my experience, that will bring a lot of innovation. For the Eclipse community, it is exciting that the Eclipse Foundation is becoming the home for many of the open source communities for Java developers. If you don’t make it to JavaOne, plan to attend EclipseCon Europe to learn more about these key Java trends.