Java EE to Jakarta EE: A New Era in Enterprise Java Development

Hey fellow coders! 🐻 It’s your favorite “Coding Bear” here, back with another deep dive into the Java universe. Today, we’re tackling one of the most significant shifts in enterprise Java history—the migration from Java EE to Jakarta EE. If you’ve been working with Java EE and wondering what this transition means for your projects, you’re in the right place. As a Java developer with over 20 years of experience, I’ve witnessed this evolution firsthand, and I’m excited to share everything you need to know about this game-changing move from Oracle to the Eclipse Foundation. Let’s unpack this together!

The Historical Shift: Why Java EE Became Jakarta EE

Back in 2017, Oracle made a monumental decision to transfer Java EE to the Eclipse Foundation. This wasn’t just a simple handoff—it marked the beginning of a new chapter for enterprise Java. The Eclipse Foundation renamed the platform to Jakarta EE to reflect this new governance model.

Key Reasons Behind the Transition:

1. Open Governance: Moving away from Oracle’s sole control to a community-driven model under Eclipse
2. Faster Innovation: The Eclipse Foundation promised more frequent updates and modern features
3. Vendor Neutrality: Reducing Oracle’s dominance in the enterprise Java space
   Here’s a quick timeline of critical events:

• 2017: Oracle announces Java EE will move to Eclipse Foundation
• 2018: Java EE 8 released as the final Oracle version
• 2019: First Jakarta EE 8 release (initially identical to Java EE 8)
• 2020: Jakarta EE 9 introduces the critical namespace change (javax → jakarta)

// Example showing the package change in Jakarta EE 9+
// Old Java EE (javax)
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet;
// New Jakarta EE (jakarta)
import jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServlet;

Technical Implications of the Migration

The most significant technical change came with Jakarta EE 9—the package namespace switch from javax.* to jakarta.*. This was a breaking change that required updates to:

Areas Requiring Modification:

• Imports: All javax imports in your codebase
• Dependencies: Maven/Gradle dependencies need Jakarta-compatible versions
• Server Configurations: Application servers must support Jakarta EE specs

// Before migration (Java EE)
@WebServlet("/hello")
public class HelloServlet extends HttpServlet {  // Uses javax.servlet
    protected void doGet(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse resp) {
        // ...
    }
}
// After migration (Jakarta EE)
@WebServlet("/hello")
public class HelloServlet extends HttpServlet {  // Now uses jakarta.servlet
    protected void doGet(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse resp) {
        // ...
    }
}

Pro Tip: Use tools like the Eclipse Transformer to automate much of this conversion process!

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Why Jakarta EE Matters for Modern Development

Jakarta EE isn’t just a rebrand—it’s bringing real innovation to enterprise Java:

Key Advantages of Jakarta EE:

1. Cloud-Native Focus: Better support for microservices and Kubernetes
2. Modern Specifications: Includes reactive programming (MVC 2.0), gRPC support
3. Faster Release Cadence: New features every year instead of multi-year waits
4. Improved Compatibility: Better alignment with modern Java SE versions
   Current Adoption Status:

• 78% of enterprises surveyed are either using or evaluating Jakarta EE (2023 data)
• Major servers like WildFly, Payara, and OpenLiberty fully support Jakarta EE 10
• Spring Framework 6 requires Jakarta EE 9+ as its baseline

// Jakarta EE 10 example showing modern features
@Path("/reactive")
public class ReactiveResource {
    @GET
    @Produces(MediaType.SERVER_SENT_EVENTS)
    public void streamEvents(@Context SseEventSink eventSink) {
        // Reactive streaming implementation
    }
}

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Embracing the Jakarta EE Future

Well, my fellow Java enthusiasts, we’ve covered a lot of ground today! The transition from Java EE to Jakarta EE represents more than just package name changes—it’s about embracing a more open, innovative future for enterprise Java. While migrations can be challenging, the long-term benefits of Jakarta EE make it absolutely worthwhile.
Remember, as “Coding Bear” always says: “In technology, the only constant is change—but great developers ride the wave rather than fight it!”
Got questions about your specific migration scenario? Drop them in the comments below—I’d love to help you navigate this transition. Until next time, happy coding! 🐻💻
P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe for more in-depth Java content coming your way soon!

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