Finally I figured it out... Ignore the fact I'm a full-stack developer still navigating this world while you read this.
The State of Java ☕
Over 60% of Java applications in production are still running on Java 8 or 11. While we're talking about the new features in Java 25, there's a large number of developers who have no idea what ScopedValues are or how StructuredConcurrency works. It's not new to us. We've all seen this since we were freshers.
The Java System 🏫
Before we start, I want you to do a quick research about who started the "Long-Term Support" (LTS) system, when, and why.
In the early days, we never had a culture of staying on one version for a decade. If you focus on Java's history (like 1.4 to 5.0), you'll notice we used to have "GURUKULS" of innovation. Where are they now?
- The "Vedic" Period (1996 - 2004): The Sun Microsystems era. Rapid innovation, focusing on core language, philosophy, and new APIs.
- The "Empire" Period (c. 2006 - 2014): Formal "Enterprise" (J2EE/JEE) institutions began to emerge. Things got standardized, rigid. Here the change begins.
- The "Colonial" Period (2014 - Present): The Java 8 LTS was introduced. It was a good release (Lambdas, Streams), but it introduced a formal system that "led to a decline of traditional systems" (i.e., the tradition of rapid, constant learning).
- The "Post-Independence" Era: The 6-month release cadence was established, trying to integrate new "skills" while adapting to "contemporary needs" (i.e., corporate stability).
Java 8 "Degree" VS Java 25 "Skills"
What you think which one teaches you more skills instead of making you a "legacy code maintainer"?
The Java 8 "Prussian" System
Why was this system created?
In short, the Java 8 LTS system was admired for its efficiency in producing a disciplined, literate, and productive "enterprise developer" workforce, which aligned with the needs of an "industrializing" corporate world.
They aimed to create a literate and "certified" citizenry that could meet the growing administrative and industrial needs of the state (corporations). Basic skills (Loops, Null checks, ThreadLocal) were taught to ensure that individuals were productive in the job market.
As corporations industrialized their tech stacks, the demand for "certified" workers capable of reading instructions, managing NullPointerExceptions, and operating complex monoliths grew. The Java 8 "degree," influenced by this need for "stability," was born.
The "LTS" Colonial Period (2014 - 202?)
The Java 8 LTS marked a profound shift. By prioritizing "Stability" and "Long-Term Support" (like the British prioritized English), it devalued the traditional Java system of constant learning and created a new class of "Java 8 Developers" who were crucial to the functioning of the Corporate Empire.
Current Impact of This System
So now you know how this idea of the so-called "Stable LTS System" emerged. And still, do you think this system will help you full-fill your dreams as a developer? Are you still confident what you're learning from this system (maintaining 10-year-old code) will help you grow?
"Or you just wanted to secure a bare minimum package with 10% increment yearly"
Still, we are having TIER 1 (FAANG) developers using Java 25 features and TIER 3 developers stuck on Java 8. Because after 2014, the corporations needed employees, and the ecosystem introduced this "Legacy Trap" to make you the next job seeker. And now you are on that path, my friend.
A Java 8 "Certificate" Is All You Need?
I heard this a lot: you can't skip learning legacy code because if you don't have "5 years of Java 8" you will not get a job.
Yes, a Java 8 "degree" is all you need my friend... only if you want to be a job seeker, only if you want to be an employee, and only if you are ready to spoil your dreams of building modern, efficient systems.
The "LTS certificate" was introduced to make the corporate work easier and hire a bunch of factory workers (maintenance developers) quickly. And now, at the end, you end up being a private worker on a legacy monolith.
Skills Over Degree: What's in Java 25?
In this whole process of making "factory workers," 99% of us don't even know what skills we have, or what we're passionate about.
Java 25 is the new LTS, but it's not a "degree" to get and stop. It's a collection of skills to learn.
Skill 1: The "Gurukul" On-Ramp (JEP 512)
We were all "trapped" by public static void main(String[] args). It was the barrier to entry, designed to filter people.
The "Prussian" Way (Old):
// We had to explain "class", "public", "static", "void", and "String[]"
// just to print "Hello". This is the "Education Trap".
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello, World!");
}
}