Oracle to Discontinue JavaFX Script; Will Use Java API

After a short three-year run, the scripting language behind JavaFX was declared dead today at JavaOne.  Starting with JavaFX 2.0, which is due out in 2011 (in 7-10 months), the unique RIA framework will use the Java API in place of the doomed JavaFX Script.  Of course, this also means that other JVM languages like Groovy and Scala could be used to write applications with JavaFX, but we'll have to see how this new system works.

JavaFX 2.0 will also come with an embeddable browser and will itself be embeddable into… wait for it… Swing.  On the surface, it looks like they're essentially turning JavaFX into another set of libraries for RIA.  One tweeter called it "swing++."  This will also make JavaFX resemble Apache Pivot in a few more ways.

Other News From JavaOne

JDK overseer Mark Reinhold explained the to the OpenJDK roadmap, but there's been no ironclad confirmation that they have settled on Plan B, which includes a split in features between JDK 7 and JDK 8.  While some sites are nearly reporting this as a confirmed decision, the roadmap updates are still being called a draft. At JavaOne, Reinhold said it will definitely not take five years to go from Java 8 in 2012 to Java 9. 

UPDATE: Plan B has been confirmed.  Although the decision was made a little bit fast, it seems like most of the community was behind it.

You should also know that Groovy has won the Script Bowl for the second year in a row.  Congratulations Groovy gurus!

It's interesting that none of today's revealing announcements came in the much-anticipated keynote from Larry Ellison, which turned out to be dreadfully boring.  Oracle has still said nothing about the Google lawsuit.  I'm still waiting for them to deliver on their promise of transparency and clarity.

Finally, you have to see this cool guy at JavaOne and the cool shirt he's wearing.

If you have more news from JavaOne to add, post a comment and let us know what's up!