JBoss EAP 7 End of Support: What Java Developers Need to Know (And What to Do Next)

As a Java developer, you may not control runtime support contracts, but what you can do is help your team stay ahead of platform shifts that impact stability, compliance and portability. And here’s a big one:

📢 Red Hat officially announced that JBoss EAP 7 reached the end of Maintenance Support and entered Extended Life Support Phase 1 (ELS-1) on June 30, 2025.

This marks the beginning of a gradual end-of-support timeline that affects all Java EE 8 applications running on JBoss EAP 7.x. The change was confirmed by Red Hat as part of its product lifecycle updates, and it’s a clear sign that organizations need to plan for what's next. If your manager asks you for an overview on what's happening and the options at hands, this blog post is for you: we summarized everything you need to know and what you can do for your Java EE 8 applications.

What Is Happening to JBoss EAP 7 in 2025?

Red Hat’s JBoss EAP 7 moved into Extended Life Phase 1 (ELS-1) on June 30, 2025, which means:

• No more feature development

• No more software enhancements
• No more certifications

• Only critical security and bug fixes

• Limited technical assistance

• Deprecated container images

• Necessary subscription to ELS-1

ELS-1 lasts until October 31, 2027, followed by ELS-2, which ends in 2030 with even more limited support, i.e. no security updates at all.

Why JBoss EAP 7 Support Changes Matter to Developers

If your apps depend on Java EE 8 (javax.*), staying on JBoss EAP 7 after June 2025 increases your risk of:

• Security vulnerabilities due to limited patching

• Compliance issues in highly regulated industries

• Mounting technical debt 

• Vendor lock-in, limited portability and declining ecosystem support

• Increasing runtime costs, associated with ELS-1 subscription
• Shrinking modernization opportunities

Ultimately, relying on JBoss EAP 7.x ELS-1 means you and your team are stuck on outdated APIs, aging tooling and runtime limitations while having to pay for a considerable price.

Java EE 8 Still Matters in 2025 But Compatibility Is Changing

According to the Jakarta EE Working Group’s Cloud Native Java Survey, Java EE 8 / Jakarta EE 8 remains the most widely used enterprise Java version in production—with around 56% of the ecosystem still on it in 2025.

However, newer Jakarta EE versions have moved to jakarta.* namespaces and dropped support for Java SE 8. That’s a big refactor if you’re not ready.

Developer Options: Stick with JBoss or Suggest a Migration?

🔴 Option 1: Stay on JBoss EAP 7.4 with ELS

Pros:

• No migration effort

• Minimal disruption short-term

Cons:

• No new features or enhancements

• Limited security and bug fixes

• Deprecated Docker images

• Vendor lock-in and shrinking support

• May violate compliance standards that require active maintenance, patch cadence and/or support SLAs

• The need to refactor/modernize shortly

✅ Option 2: Migrate to Payara Platform Enterprise 5

Payara Platform Enterprise 5 is currently the only Java EE 8-compatible application server with:

• Full support for javax.* namespace

• Regular monthly releases with security and bug fixes, updates and improvements

• Hot fixes

• Support through 2029+, with Lifetime Support available afterwards

• Container-native deployment support

• Active community and commercial-grade SLAs

• Competitive pricing

Payara vs. JBoss EAP 7 ELS-1: Feature Comparison

Why Developers Should Raise This with Their Team

Even if you’re not signing contracts or managing procurement, your technical insight matters. Here’s how you can contribute:

• Start conversations early: Bring up the JBoss EAP 7 support timeline in your next team meeting.

• Share this article and the associated guide: They frame the problem and give a comprehensive insights on what ELS-1 means and what your team can do. 

• Request evaluation time: Suggest a test deployment of Payara Platform Enterprise.