Simon Ritter

This year marks 28 years since Java was first released, and it is still consistently in the top 3 most popular programming languages.

In this session, we'll explore how Java has maintained this popularity level, despite the many newer languages vying for the top. The second question we'll look at is how Java can maintain its attraction to new and existing developers around the world.

Despite being nearly 27 years old, Java is still consistently rated in the top three most popular programming languages in use. The reason for this popularity extends beyond the syntax of the language to the power of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). With its ability to handle internet-scale workloads, the JVM delivers the performance required for mission-critical enterprise applications.

In this session, we’ll explore Java as it is in 2022. JDK 17 is the ninth (yes, ninth) release in four years. As a long-term support (LTS) release, this is one that many users will choose to use in production. We’ll review the significant new features developers will now be able to exploit as they develop their next applications. With JDK 18 just around the corner and longer term projects like Loom likely to be included soon, what does this year hold for Java?

Java is changing faster than ever with new features being added every six months.

Despite being over 25 years old, Java is still adapting to ensure it remains one of the most popular platforms on the planet. Find out in this session how to take advantage of many of these exciting new features.

With the release of JDK 16, we will have had eight (yes eight!) versions of Java in less than four years.

We still hear claims that Java is the new COBOL, and its popularity is in decline. The reality, however, is that Java developers are now being provided with new features at a faster pace than at any time in its 25-year history.

Many of these new features provide exciting new language level changes, as well as useful new APIs.

In this session, we’ll explore in detail what these changes are and how best to use them (as well as advice on when not to use them). We’ll also explain the significance of preview features and incubator modules.

We’ll cover the following new language features:

• Local variable type inference (JDK 10)
• Switch expressions (JDK 12)
• Text blocks (JDK 13)
• Records (JDK 14)
• Pattern matching for instanceof (JDK 14)
• Sealed classes and changes to Records (JDK 15)

For each of these JDKs, we’ll also highlight the most useful additions to the core class libraries and changes in the HotSpot JVM.

At the end of this session, you’ll be all set to write modern Java code!