As Java approaches its 30th anniversary, the JavaOne 2025 Community Keynote showcased how the platform continues to evolve while keeping developers at the forefront of its mission.
The Community Keynote at JavaOne 2025 delivered a powerful message: Java's strength lies in its community. While technological advancements continue to push Java forward, the platform's true longevity stems from the vibrant ecosystem of developers, educators, user groups, and champions who breathe life into it.
"Java is nothing without you. The community is the backbone of why Java has been so vibrant these past 30 years," proclaimed Shar Chander, Senior Director of Product Management and Developer Engagement at Oracle, as he welcomed attendees to celebrate Java's upcoming 30th birthday on May 23rd.
Building the Next Generation
A significant focus of the keynote was Java's commitment to education. Heather Stephens, Senior Director of Java Education at Oracle, unveiled Learn.java, a dedicated platform for students and teachers that complements the existing Dev.java portal. This initiative addresses a crucial need: making Java more accessible to beginners.
"We split it because Dev.java is a little too complicated for new learners," Stevens explained. "We want to ensure that we give content at the level that a new learner needs, and often teachers are new learners too."
The Java Playground, which allows users to run Java code directly in a browser without installation, further reduces barriers to entry. These tools are designed to create what Mark Reinhold, Chief Architect of the Java Platform Group, called "paving the on-ramp" — simplifying initial Java syntax while maintaining a path to learn more advanced features.
Oracle's partnership with the College Board for AP Computer Science A was highlighted to modernize the curriculum and potentially double the 100,000 students entering computer science through this pathway.
Community Connection Points
The keynote spotlighted two critical programs maintaining Java's ecosystem: Java User Groups (JUGs) and the Java Champions program. JUG leaders build local developer communities around use cases, best practices, and career advancement, while Java Champions serve as independent voices, ensuring knowledge dissemination throughout the global ecosystem.
Java continues to expand its community reach with new user groups formed in Ghana, Bolivia, Netherlands, and Finland this year alone, demonstrating the platform's global impact. Five new members were also welcomed to the Java Champions program in 2025.
Quality Through Collaboration
David Delabassée, Senior Director of Java Developer Relations, showcased the OpenJDK Quality Outreach program, which improves Java platform quality by involving open-source project maintainers in testing early access builds. Donald Raab, creator of the Eclipse Collections project, illustrated this collaborative approach with a real-world example.
When his team discovered serialization format issues in a recent build, they reported it back to the Java team, resulting in improvements to both Eclipse Collections and the OpenJDK. This virtuous feedback cycle demonstrates how community involvement directly enhances the platform for everyone.
Community Engagement
The keynote featured multiple opportunities for audience participation, including a time capsule activity where attendees wrote their expectations for Java in the next decade, a quiz testing Java knowledge with t-shirt prizes, and an interactive session where participants shared why they love coding in Java.
The Java Developer Relations team was introduced on stage, recognizing the often-unsung efforts of those who maintain community programs, communication channels, and activities that keep the ecosystem vibrant.
Looking Forward
As Java approaches its 30th anniversary, the community keynote reinforces its dual commitment: pushing technological boundaries while nurturing new and experienced developers.
"For me, it's about having Java be vibrant for the next 30 years," explained Chad Arimura, VP of Developer Relations. "It's all about people. The technology, the language, and the platform matter, but those things don't happen overnight. Those don't happen without a collective dialog, a discussion, and a debate amongst each other."
The session closed with all speakers and Duke, Java's mascot, joining on stage for an early "Happy Birthday" to Java, symbolizing the unity of purpose that drives the community forward.
Comments