Java user groups, educators, students, and contributors bring different perspectives to the same conversation: how Java evolves and how more people can take part. Throughout September and October, JCP Chair, Heather VanCura connected with communities across Brazil and Europe to explore those questions alongside the changing role of AI in software development and education.
Open Standards, AI, and Learning in Brazil
The Brazil visit began with a joint Java and MySQL community gathering in São Paulo, bringing people from both ecosystems together to discuss open-source collaboration and opportunities to contribute. It was also a chance to consider how user groups and universities help developers build connections beyond the technologies they use every day.
At IA Brazil, Heather explored how open standards support trusted AI. Connecting fragmented data, understanding how systems work together, and making applications portable are challenges that reach across development teams and organizations. The discussion connected those practical needs with interoperability, transparency, and governance.
At The Developer Conference (TDC) São Paulo, the focus turned to developer choice. Shared specifications help technologies work together, while open-source implementations allow developers to examine, learn from, and improve the software they depend on. A visit to FIAP University added another setting for conversations about education, AI, Java, and the next generation of developers.
The Brazilian community is eager to embrace AI and work together to continue building AI projects around Java technology.
Showcasing Java Technology Innovation
In Germany, a meetup involving Java user groups from Frankfurt, Heidelberg, and Walldorf brought the Java Community Process (JCP) into a shared community setting. Heather discussed the role of the JCP Executive Committee, how its work connects with Java’s evolution, and ways developers and organizations can participate.
The visit also included time with students and educators at a special event hosted by H-KA Karlsruhe and a JCP Executive Committee face-to-face meeting hosted by SAP in Walldorf.
During the EC Meeting, JUG meeting and the University Day, the focus was on modern Java features, use of features such as the Vector API, and how the community is using these features in development. The JCP Working Groups around Education, the Java Ecosystem, and Java & AI were also discussed.
These engagements connected two parts of the same ecosystem: the people collaborating on Java standards and the people teaching, learning, and building with Java.
Community Conversations in London, Lisbon, and Dublin
The London Java Community gathering took a roundtable approach, making room for participants’ own questions and experiences. Themes included Java in education, Java and AI, and opportunities to get involved through OpenJDK projects and JCP community working groups.
In Lisbon, the conversation connected Java’s continued evolution with AI, developer education, and community participation. The Dublin JUG session continued the education theme, exploring how communities can support people learning to program as development tools and practices change.
The communities shared a passion for evolving Java in the AI era and bringing Java to the next generation of Java developers.
Connecting Across Open Source
At Community over Code in Glasgow, Heather joined the wider open-source conversation, connecting Java’s community-driven evolution with collaboration across MySQL and other software ecosystems. The event provided opportunities to exchange experiences with contributors and community leaders working across different projects.
Many Apache Software Foundation maintainers attending the conference were curious to find out more information on the Java Ecosystem working group and how to stay up to date with new versions of Java.
Thank you to everyone who hosted a gathering, asked a question, shared an experience, or helped bring people together. Local communities make these conversations possible—and give more people a place to begin participating.
Interested in helping shape Java? Connect with your local Java user group or explore ways to participate through the Java Community Process.
