Hi ,

Picture this: It's 1999, and I'm staring at my first Java assignment with the enthusiasm of root canal surgery. Coming from C and Assembler, Java felt like programming with oven mitts on. "Automatic memory management? That's just lazy programming", I thought.

Fast forward 25 years, and Java has become the foundation of my career. Not just tolerated, genuinely loved. And if you still think Java is "that verbose language from the 90s," I've got news for you.

What Changed My Mind

Brain-Friendly Programming Modern Java finally aligns with how developers actually think.

Backwards Compatibility That Actually Works I have enterprise applications from the Java 1.4 era running on Java 21 today.

Healthy Ecosystem Competition Unlike platforms with single vendors calling the shots, Java offers real choices.

Java is Leading Again While everyone chases shiny new frameworks, Java quietly revolutionized concurrent programming with virtual threads.

Why This Matters

Whether you're managing Java teams, architecting systems, or just curious about industry trends, Java's evolution represents something rare in tech: stability without stagnation. It's a language that grows with your career instead of requiring complete rewrites every few years.

Read the full story: "Why Java is Still Worth Learning in 2025: A Developer's 25-Year Journey"

I dive into the complete transformation story, real migration experiences, why the Java community became the most supportive I've encountered, and practical advice for teams considering (or reconsidering) Java in 2025.

Enjoy,

Markus

What's your Java story? Hit reply, I read every response.

P.S. Know a developer who thinks Java peaked in 2005? Send them this.