Deploying Jakarta EE applications to the cloud can be a complex task if you are using traditional deployment options like containers, Kubernetes or other such options, but not with Payara Cloud. Uploading a Jakarta EE binary artefact (.war file) and deploying it to the cloud can be achieved in four straightforward steps. They are:

Java's journey towards fostering more expressive and efficient code has taken a remarkable leap with the advent of Record Patterns, encapsulated in JEP 440. This feature, previewed in both Java 19 and Java 20, is now a part of the language from Java 21, marking a significant stride towards reducing the verbosity traditionally associated with Java language. In this post, we will delve into the essence of Record Patterns, take a look at its benefits, and explore how it fits in with the existing pattern matching capabilities of Java.

In the world of programming, stepping stones are crucial for novices to transition into proficient developers. This journey often begins with understanding the syntax and semantics of a given programming language. Java, being one of the popular programming languages, has always aimed to be an effective medium for both novices and experienced developers. The recent release of Java 21 introduced a core feature, known as Unnamed Classes and Instance Main Methods through JEP 445, aimed at simplifying the learning curve for new programmers, making it easier for them to write their first program without much fanfare and verbosity.

As the leaves take on a golden hue and the cool breeze of October sets in, we're thrilled to bring to the table the latest iteration of the Payara Platform. The October 2023 release features 3 bug fixes, 9 component upgrades, 1 security fix and 1 improvement for Payara Enterprise 6.7.0. Payara Community 6.2023.10 also features 4 bug fixes, 9 component upgrades, 1 security fix and 1 improvement.

Pattern Matching for switch, introduced in Java 21 via JEP 441, marks a significant enhancement to the Java programming language, offering a more expressive and compact way to handle complex decision blocks. This feature extends the existing switch construct by allowing patterns in case labels, thus facilitating more concise, readable, and safe code when dealing with multi-way comparisons​​.

Java 21 introduces the Foreign Function and Memory (FFM) API, which allows Java programs to interoperate with code and data outside the Java runtime. Java operates within a managed environment known as the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). The JVM serves as an abstraction layer between the executing Java code and the underlying hardware and OS. One of the core design principles behind the JVM is to provide a secure and isolated environment for Java applications to run. This isolation is beneficial for several reasons, including security and stability; it mitigates risks such as unauthorized access to system resources or memory corruption, which could lead to vulnerabilities like buffer overflows.

With Java 21 released today and Jakarta EE 11 slated for release in Q1 of 2024, the landscape for Java development is evolving rapidly, particularly in the cloud-native space. Although these two are not being developed together, they are intrinsically linked: Jakarta EE 11 will have Java 21 as its base Java SE version. This blog post will explore what these two significant releases bring to the table individually and how they can collectively enhance cloud native Java development.

We are excited to announce the latest releases of the Payara Platform: Enterprise 6.6.0 and Community 6.2023.9. Payara Platform Enterprise 6.6.0 comes with 2 security fixes, 2 bug fixes, 5 component upgrades and 3 improvements. Payara Platform Community 6.2023.9 also comes with 2 security fixes, 2 bug fixes, 5 component upgrades, and 3 improvements. 

For Payara Enterprise users, Payara Platform 5 is still updated! Payara Platform Enterprise 5.55.0 is out this month. 

So, you're a Java developer, or maybe you're aspiring to be one. Either way, you've probably faced the challenge of managing multiple versions of Java on your machine. One project requires Java 8, but another needs Java 11, yet another requires Java 17. The open-source library you're keen on contributing to needs yet another version. What do you do? You start juggling environment variables, and before you know it, your system is a tangled mess of configurations. Not fun, right?

And let's not even get started on the difference between JRE and JDK. It's easy for beginners to get confused about the distinction between the two. The JRE (Java Runtime Environment) is sufficient if you just want to run Java applications, but if you're going to be developing them, you'll need the JDK (Java Development Kit). The JDK includes everything the JRE has, plus additional tools and utilities for developers like the Java compiler, or javac.

Tired of all this complexity? Let me introduce you to SDKMan!, a version manager that streamlines the process, making it a breeze to manage multiple Java versions on your machine. Not just Java, SDKMan! can be used to manage a lot more kits and tools such as Maven. In this blog post however, we see how to use SDKMan! to effortlessly manage different versions of Java on the same machine. 

Coming fresh and energised from summer vacation, the Payara engineering kitchen presents to you the August 2023 release, with bug fixes and component upgrades. Payara Platform Enterprise 6.5.0 comes with 10 bug fixes and a component upgrade. Payara Platform Community 6.2023.8 also comes with 10 bug fixes and 1 improvement.