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☕ Pulse on Java – May 2025 Edition

Your AI-generated monthly roundup of Java framework and platform updates.

Welcome to the May 2025 edition of Pulse on Java, where we track the latest releases, innovations, and trends across the Java ecosystem. This month brought major GA releases, milestone builds, and AI-native integrations that are reshaping how Java developers build modern applications.

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🔧 Framework Releases & Highlights

🌱 Spring AI 1.0.0 GA

Released on May 20, 2025, Spring AI 1.0.0 brings AI-native capabilities to the Spring ecosystem:

• ChatClient API: Unified interface for over 20 AI models including OpenAI, Hugging Face, Anthropic, and ZhiPu.
• Vector store integrations: Redis, Elasticsearch, MongoDB, Oracle, and more.
• Tool calling & RAG support: Built-in support for retrieval-augmented generation and agent workflows.
• OpenRewrite migration recipe: Automates upgrades from milestone versions to GA.

🧠 LangChain4j 1.0.0 GA

LangChain4j, the Java-native LLM orchestration library, also hit 1.0.0 GA in May:

• Core features: Prompt chaining, memory, tool calling, and support for OpenAI, Hugging Face, Ollama, and Mistral.
• Kotlin support: Enhanced coroutine integration and virtual thread compatibility.
• Post-GA: Version 1.0.1 followed with bug fixes and minor enhancements.

🏗 Jakarta EE 11

Jakarta EE 11 is in its final stages and is expected to be released in June 2025. This release focuses on modernization and alignment with Java 21:

• Java 21 baseline: Enables use of virtual threads, pattern matching, and other modern language features.
• Updated specifications: Including Jakarta Security 4.0, Jakarta RESTful Web Services, CDI, JSON Processing, Messaging, and more.
• Platform simplification: Continued removal of deprecated APIs and legacy constructs.
• No new specifications introduced: The focus is on stability and modernization, not expansion.

⚡ Quarkus 3.23.0

Released May 28, 2025:

• Named datasources for Hibernate Reactive.
• OIDC bearer step-up authentication.
• Camel Quarkus 3.23.0 integration.
• GraalVM 25 early access support.

🌀 Micronaut 4.8.2

While no new release dropped in May, version 4.8.2 (from April) remains current:

• Performance and observability: Updates to Micronaut Core, Micrometer, and JSON Schema modules.
• Cloud-native focus: Enhanced support for Azure Functions and AWS Lambda.

🌐 Helidon 4.2.0

Helidon’s latest release includes:

• Full virtual thread support.
• LangChain4j integration for AI-native microservices.
• Build-time DI, GraalVM native image support, and MicroProfile APIs.

☕ Java Platform Update: JDK 25 in Focus

JDK 25, scheduled for General Availability in September 2025, is shaping up to be a substantial release. It builds on the innovations of JDK 21 through 24 and continues to refine Java’s performance, developer ergonomics, and platform capabilities.

📅 Key Milestones

• Rampdown Phase One: June 5, 2025
• Rampdown Phase Two: July 17, 2025
• Initial Release Candidate: August 21, 2025
• GA Release: September 16, 2025

✅ JEPs Targeted for JDK 25

🔄 Language & Developer Productivity

• JEP 507: Primitive Types in Patterns, instanceof, and switch (3rd Preview)
• JEP 513: Flexible Constructor Bodies
• JEP 512: Compact Source Files and Instance Main Methods
• JEP 511: Module Import Declarations

🧵 Concurrency & Memory

• JEP 505: Structured Concurrency (5th Preview)
• JEP 506: Scoped Values
• JEP 519: Compact Object Headers

🧪 Performance & Profiling

• JEP 509: JFR CPU-Time Profiling (Experimental)
• JEP 510: Key Derivation Function API
• JEP 514: Ahead-of-Time Command-Line Ergonomics
• JEP 515: Ahead-of-Time Method Profiling
• JEP 518: JFR Cooperative Sampling
• JEP 520: JFR Method Timing & Tracing

🧬 Platform & VM

• JEP 502: Stable Values (Preview)
• JEP 508: Vector API (10th Incubator)
• JEP 521: Generational Shenandoah GC
• JEP 503: Remove the 32-bit x86 Port
• JEP 470: PEM Encodings of Cryptographic Objects (Preview)

🧠 Developer Trends

• AI-first Java: Spring AI and LangChain4j are leading the charge in LLM integration.
• Virtual Threads: Now supported across Spring, Helidon, and LangChain4j.
• Cloud-native maturity: Almost all major frameworks now offer native image support, OpenTelemetry integration, and Kubernetes-first tooling.

📅 What’s Next?

• Jakarta EE 11 final release imminent.
• LangChain4j 1.1.0 roadmap includes agentic workflows and multi-modal support.
• Micronaut 4.9.x and Quarkus 3.24 expected in early summer.
• Spring Boot 3.5 GA and Spring Framework 7.0 are on the horizon.
• JDK 25 continues toward its September GA with early-access builds available.
• Jakarta EE 12 planning underway, with revived specs like Jakarta Portlet under discussion.