Java in 2025 feels… busy (in a good way). InfoQ’s editorial team maps the ecosystem using the “crossing the chasm” lens — and the signals are pretty clear: AI on the JVM + modernization automation + a stronger enterprise baseline.
🔸 TLDR
▪️ AI on the JVM is accelerating (agents + GenAI frameworks land fast: Embabel, Koog, Spring AI, LangChain4j).
▪️ Java 25 becomes a practical baseline (while many stacks standardize on Java 17+).
▪️ Modernization is a priority, and OpenRewrite is the automation workhorse (migrations, upgrades, cleanup).
🔸 WHAT STOOD OUT
▪️ AI isn’t “Python-only” anymore: JVM teams now have multiple idiomatic options to build AI features. 🤖
▪️ The ecosystem is pushing “stay current” harder: frameworks increasingly require relatively recent JDKs. 🚀
▪️ Spring Boot 4 / Spring Framework 7 (Nov 2025) are part of the “new normal” with things like API versioning + resilience + null-safety direction. 🌱
▪️ Jakarta EE 11 is stabilizing with compatible implementations, while Jakarta EE 12 work ramps up (notably Jakarta Query). 🏢
▪️ Cloud strategy is shifting: more hybrid / regional / on-prem discussions are back on the table. ☁️➡️🏠
🔸 TAKEAWAYS
▪️ If you’re planning upgrades: aim for Java 25 (or at least 21/17+) and align your frameworks early.
▪️ Treat modernization as a product: automate with OpenRewrite instead of “big bang rewrite”. 🛠️
▪️ For AI: watch the tooling and the standards layer (agents, MCP, integrations) — that’s where velocity comes from. ⚡
▪️ Enterprise Java isn’t standing still: keep an eye on Jakarta Query if you live in the persistence world. 📦
🔸 QUESTION
▪️ What’s your 2026 priority: JDK upgrade, framework upgrade, or automated modernization?
#Java #JDK25 #JVM #AI #SpringAI #SpringBoot #LangChain4j #Kotlin #JakartaEE #OpenRewrite #Modernization #SoftwareEngineering #CloudArchitecture #DevOps