The Java platform, one of the most popular programming languages in use, has undergone multiple iterations over the years allowing developers to equip themselves with the latest features to build applications which are dynamic, high performing, portable, and secure.
Programmers across the globe have utilized this platform to build custom Java developed applications to match entrepreneurial pursuits and align the product or service with business goals.
This is where the need for enterprise Java development comes into context as businesses across verticals require a customized solution and not any generic one.
Also read our blog Custom Web Application Development Trends for 2019
So, what makes Java technologies so popular with software programmers and enterprises alike?
Let’s explore a few java application development trends to understand this phenomenon better.
Java Development Trends
Java development trends in 2018 included Java SE 9 and JDK 9 – enhanced versions enabling programmers to write better applications by dividing JDK into multiple modules, thus catering to devices both big and small.
However, the list of features which were trending last year have now been enhanced further and programmers can look forward to utilizing the full scale of features when working with modules varying in quantity and quality.
Latest Java Release
The Java magazine in its latest issue has listed new features of JDK 11 which facilitate writing lambdas, ease HTTP and WebSocket communications, helping the JDK handle inner classes better.
Enhancements in JDK 11:
– JDK 11 includes support for Unicode 10.0.0
– JDK 11 enables smoother function of Applets and Web Start Applications due to the deployment stack being enhanced
– Packaging format for Windows has been changed to .zip while the packaging format for macOS has been changed to .dmg
– Nest based access control for allowing classes and interfaces to access each other’s private members
Additional information on JDK 11 release notes can be accessed here.
Enterprise Java Development
Built on Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE), Java EE is used for developing enterprise-oriented applications which support large-scale and multi-layered systems with robust security.
Additionally, Java EE provides libraries for database access, messaging, and web services. The latest version is Java EE 8 released in 2017.
Features of Java EE 8:
– Modernized infrastructure for cloud and microservices environments
– A new Security API for identity store abstraction, establishing a new security context, and a new annotation-driven authentication mechanism
– New JavaBean validation features
The complete list of highlights can be accessed here.
So, what’s next from the Java Development team?
Project Valhalla
Announced in 2014, Project Valhalla – an experimental OpenJDK project to introduce new language features, is now in an advanced stage of development.
Since its inception, the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) has supported only two types of values i.e. primitive types and object references. With the introduction of value types, which Java language architect Brian Goetz has termed ‘codes like a class, works like an int’, developers can access primitive data types easily and quickly.
Project Valhalla is set to enhance value types, generic specialization, reified generics, and improved volatile support.