Oracle wants to turn Java EE into fully open source

This week, Oracle announced plans to move Java EE project management to an open source platform, like Apache or Eclipse.

This statement appeared before the release of Java EE 8 this fall and Oracle seems to confidently claim to whom Java EE development will be delivered.

Java EE (Enterprise Edition) is a collection of APIs for the Java platform built specifically to help developers create enterprise-scale applications.

Oracle withdrew from the lead role

Along with Java SE (Standard Edition), this project is being managed as a half-open source.

Until now, Oracle welcomed the open source community's involvement with suggestions and plans to develop Java SE and EE. Even so, they always play the leading role and have the final say in all matters. According to the statement of David Delabassee, Java core at Oracle, the company plans to withdraw from its leading role with Java EE.

'We think that bringing Java EE technology, including implementation of references and compatibility testing, to the open source platform can be the right step, to get a more flexible, real process. now licensing more flexibly and changing administrative processes, 'Delabassee said. 'We are planning to explore this possibility with the community, our license holders and some platforms to see if Java EE can be moved in this direction,' he added.

Apache and Eclipse are the preferred platforms

The Apache Foundation and Eclipse Foundation are great candidates to take over Java EE. Both manage Java-based and Oracle-based projects that also include other tools on these platforms. For example, Oracle has also put NetBeans IDE and OpenOffice application suite on the Apache Foundation and Hudson server on Eclipse.

Oracle wants to turn Java EE into fully open source Picture 1
Java EE will be taken care of by the open source community

Oracle said it would continue to provide feedback for the development of Java EE but no longer played a leading role. The company has yet to reveal a similar plan for Java SE.

Oracle is abandoning Java to 'death'.

Oracle is gradually leaving Java to transition to cloud-based solutions in recent years. In September 2015, the company laid off most of its Java core. The Java community believes that Oracle is beginning to ignore Java development and in 2016 they created the Java EE Guardians project to force Oracle to focus more resources on Java EE.

In January 2016, Oracle announced it would no longer endorse the use of Java browser plugin from JRK 9, which will eventually be dropped entirely on future versions. Java 8 is scheduled to be released this fall, while Java 9 plans to be next year.