From Java 1.4 to Java 24: two generations about their experience with Java
Jacco has been active in the IT landscape for over 25 years and has been working at AMIS Conclusion for twelve years. He has a rich experience with Java, from the early versions to the present day. "My first contact with Java was somewhere around 1996," he says. "Java 1.4 had just been released at the time. What struck me then was how structured and strict it worked. You have to stick to the rules of the language. Frustrating for some, but I found and still find that the strength."
At the other end of the spectrum is Bart, who started at AMIS Conclusion in January 2025, after completing his bachelor's degree in Software Development. "My introduction to Java actually started as an emergency measure," he says with a smile. "For my MBO internship I needed knowledge of Java, but I only knew PHP. I thought: I'll learn that during a few evenings. That turned out to be rather naïve. Java turned out to be much stricter than I was used to, but that's what makes it interesting."
Java in practice: from insurance platform to youth care application
Both Jacco and Bart are working on the AMIS Conclusion project, a system for insurers in which fraud detection and data exchange are central. A solid project in which Java is used on a large scale. Jacco: "An IT system must be able to run 24/7. That is typically a system where Java comes in handy: reliable, stable and easy to manage."
Yet it is not the only Java project that will stay with you. With visible enthusiasm, Jacco talks about a different experience: "Together with a colleague, just before corona, I built a Java application for youth care. The application recorded court decisions and generated corresponding documents. A small team with a clear goal, that was really cool to make."
For Bart, the satisfaction is often in the technical details: "Writing unit tests and working with frameworks such as Mockito, that makes the work structured and clear. Precisely because Java is so strict, you prevent mistakes before they have an impact."
Innovation in Java: why the language continues to evolve
Both developers emphasize that Java is not a stationary language. Jacco says: "An important turning point was Java 8. There, streaming and lambdas were introduced. Suddenly, you could perform complex operations much more compactly and efficiently." The impact of these innovations is significant, especially for developers who work with large datasets or have to apply a lot of repetitive logic.
And the developments continue. Java 21 is now the latest version with long-term support, and Java 24 has also recently been released. "The language is really 'alive'," says Jacco. "New features are still being added, such as virtual threads, that contribute to better scalability in modern cloud environments."
What are the disadvantages of Java in modern software development?
Yet there are also critical notes. One common point is the boot time of Java applications. "Compared to JavaScript, for example, Java has always been a bit slower to start," Jacco acknowledges. "But a lot has improved. With modular runtimes, you can now only take the necessary parts with you, which saves a lot."
Bart mentions another point: the amount of boilerplate code. "For simple things, you sometimes have to write a lot of code. That feels cumbersome, especially if you come from more modern, looser languages. But at the same time, it is also the same structure that makes Java so reliable."
Java as a legacy language? Why that stamp is not correct
The term 'legacy language' is sometimes used when talking about Java. Unjustified, both think. "That's really a misunderstanding," Jacco says firmly. "Java may be thirty years old, but it is actively being developed. It connects to modern architectures, cloud environments and microservices. I know plenty of young languages that show less innovation."
Bart also sees plenty of future in Java. "As long as the language continues to innovate, it will remain relevant. And with frameworks like Spring Boot, the development process is becoming more and more accessible. It is certainly not an outdated technology."
Oracle and Java: How the Acquisition Spurred Innovation
Behind this continuous innovation is one party that Jacco believes plays a key role: Oracle. "When they acquired Java from Sun Microsystems, the community was skeptical. But it is now clear that Oracle is investing heavily in the further development of Java. They listen to the market and ensure that the language grows along with modern IT issues."
Yet in practice you don't notice much that Java is from Oracle, says Bart. "Except when you download Java and are confronted with licenses, Oracle does not play a visible role in daily work."
The future of Java
We conclude with the question of whether Java will still occupy a prominent place in software development in ten years' time. "I'm convinced it is," says Jacco. "As long as the language continues to grow with the technological requirements, and it does, Java will remain a logical choice for scalable, stable solutions." Bart nods in agreement: "There are projects where Java is simply the best option. And that will remain the case for the time being."
Java 30 years old and still a solid choice
Java may be three decades old, but it is anything but passé. The language is still proving itself daily in robust enterprise environments and continues to evolve into the future. Yes, it's strict. Yes, it can feel cumbersome. But in a world full of fast hypes, that is perhaps the strength of Java: reliable, proven and still on the move!
