A new version of Java arrives every six months, and yet some of the platform’s most anticipated changes (like Project Valhalla) have been in development for years. As Java 27 approaches, this panel asks experienced practitioners an honest question: how exciting are these releases really, and do they solve the problems developers actually face?
While the release cadence is fixed, the impact of each release is not. Some releases land features that genuinely change how developers work. Others lay important groundwork that is harder to feel day to day. And with many teams still on older LTS versions, even meaningful progress can take time to arrive where it matters.
This panel will explore what has genuinely excited practitioners about the direction Java is heading — and what has not. Which long-standing myths have recent releases finally put to rest, and which challenges remain unsolved for now? This is a conversation about where Java is going, and what it still needs to get there.