Brief Info: The upcoming months are expected to witness the launch of Java EE 8. Along with this release, Oracle is planning to transition Java EE to an open source framework. This move by Oracle is aimed at enhancing the development of Java EE and implementing changes as per the requirements of the industry. Red Hat has issued a statement appreciating Oracle’s initiative.
At present, Oracle is actively finalizing Java EE 8 with the goal of presenting the reference implementation by the summer. Alongside this release, Oracle is also looking to restructure the development process of Java EE to ensure quick adaptation to industry demands.
For the uninitiated, Java EE consists of a set of technologies and APIs for the Java platform specifically designed to facilitate large-scale enterprise applications. It is a widely favored implementation. It is pertinent to note that Java EE is already undergoing development in an open-source environment.
However, Oracle believes that relocating Java EE to an open source framework could yield long-term benefits by enabling a more flexible adoption process. Additionally, this transition could lead to alterations in governance and the introduction of adaptable licensing policies.
“We are contemplating the exploration of this potential avenue with the community, our licensees, and a number of candidate foundations to ascertain the feasibility of steering Java EE in this direction,” Oracle stated in its blog post.
The concerns surrounding Java EE are not unfounded. The Java EE community has previously raised apprehensions and criticized Oracle for neglecting the open-source aspect of the implementation.
In a related development, John Clingan, the senior product manager at Red Hat, issued a statement lauding Oracle’s decision to propel Java EE under an open source community.
“Red Hat anticipates collaborating with Oracle, as well as the broader Java and Eclipse MicroProfile communities, to synchronize efforts for advancing enterprise Java,” he mentioned, as reported by InfoWorld.
What are your opinions on this matter? Do you think Java EE should operate within foundations such as Apache and Eclipse? Share your perspectives with us.