Developer Voices Java's Cutting Edge Comeback (with Josh Long)
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May 23, 2025 Josh Long, a Java and Kotlin programmer and Spring advocate, shares his thoughts on Java's remarkable evolution. He dives into projects like Valhalla and Panama that are modernizing the language for AI workloads. The discussion touches on advancements like virtual threads and the Vector API, enhancing performance for data-intensive tasks. Josh also highlights Java's resilience and adaptability in a competitive landscape, and how it remains relevant for enterprise solutions amidst the rise of alternative programming languages.
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Java's Rapid Revival
- Java has overcome years of stagnation and is evolving rapidly, faster than expected for a 30-year language.
- Recent innovations in the JVM and language offer a new lease of life and momentum for Java.
JVM: The Crown Jewel
- The JVM is the real crown jewel above languages like Java or Kotlin.
- Kotlin benefits from being a fresh design around 2010, avoiding earlier Java limitations.
Java's Backward Compatibility Tradeoffs
- Java's backward compatibility causes compromises, resulting in retrofitted features that work mostly but are not ideal.
- This leads to complexities like non-reified generics, auto-boxing, and less compact data class syntax.