2025

A SURVEY OF OVER 2,000 JAVA PROFESSIONALS

FROM THE ONLY COMPANY 100% FOCUSED ON JAVA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 3

JAVA'S CONTINUING INFLUENCE IN THE ENTERPRISE 8

NEARLY ALL JAVA-BASED COMPANIES PAY FOR JAVA SUPPORT 11
POPULAR JAVA-BASED INFRASTRUCTURES, LANGUAGES, AND FRAMEWORKS 12

ORACLE JAVA MIGRATION 15

THE MIGRATION FROM ORACLE JAVA CONTINUES 17

JAVA’S ROLE IN THE CLOUD 20

COMPANIES CONTINUE TO OVERPROVISION CLOUD RESOURCES 21

JAVA AND DEVOPS PRODUCTIVITY 25

SECURITY ISSUES IMPACT DEVOPS PRODUCTIVITY 26

JAVA AND AI 29
JAVA IS THE LANGUAGE OF CHOICE FOR AI DEVELOPMENT 30

CONCLUSION 33

ABOUT THIS SURVEY 36

INTRODUCTION
THE AUTHORITATIVE JAVA STUDY CONDUCTED BY
THE ONLY VENDOR 100% FOCUSED ON JAVA

Java turns 30 years old in 2025, a historic milestone for any programming language.
But don’t mistake its legacy for complacency — Java continues to innovate, adapt, and
lead in the ever-evolving world of software development. In fact, in 2024 alone, Java
saw many advancements, both in the language and its ecosystem. Some highlights
include:

Performance and Scalability – Features such as virtual threads and structured

concurrency from Java 21 enable developers to write high-performance,
concurrent applications more efficiently.
Focus on Developer Productivity – Improvements in Java tooling, such as
enhanced Visual Studio Code integration, provide developers with more accessible
and efficient workloads.
Resilience and Security – Java’s emphasis on quantum-safe encryption prepares it
for future cryptographic challenges.
AI, Machine Learning and Cloud – Java's robust libraries and frameworks position
it as a key platform for AI/ML development. Its integration with cloud-native
platforms such as AWS and Google Cloud enhances its usability for modern
distributed applications.

Java's ongoing evolution ensures it remains a relevant, powerful language and

platform for a wide variety of use cases, from enterprise applications to digital
transformation to cutting-edge AI/ML solutions.

3
To truly understand how Java's influence continues to shape the industry, we turn to
the insights of its global user community. With over 2,000 survey participants from
around the world, Azul’s 2025 State of Java Survey and Report provides a
comprehensive snapshot of the trends, challenges, and opportunities driving Java’s
impact in enterprise environments.

This report delves into how Java is shaping key areas of enterprise technology. It
highlights Java's role in optimizing application and cloud performance, streamlining
DevOps workflows, and enabling the development of AI-powered and AI-driven
solutions. This year’s findings underscore how Java remains a critical foundation for
both legacy systems and emerging technologies, bridging the gap between reliability
and innovation. It also explores the factors driving businesses to migrate away from
Oracle Java and seek alternatives based on OpenJDK.

By capturing the voices of Java practitioners, Azul’s 2025 State of Java Survey and
Report offers a definitive resource that not only reflects Java's current state but also
illuminates its future trajectory — proving that even as Java celebrates three decades,
its best years are still ahead.

4
 KEY FINDINGS
JAVA'S CONTINUING
INFLUENCE IN THE
ENTERPRISE
99%
85%
PAY FOR JAVA
USE JAVA IN SOFTWARE
OR INFRASTRUCTURE 49%
USE JAVA 17 OR JAVA 21
COMMERCIAL SUPPORT ORACLE JAVA
ORACLE JAVA
MIGRATION
MIGRATION
JAVA AND AI

82% 50%BUILD AI
FUNCTIONALITY

88%
ARE CONSIDERING
ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
ORACLE JAVA PRICING
WITH JAVA

72%
SWITCHING FROM ORACLE TO JAVA AND DEVOPS MUST INCREASE
ANOTHER JAVA PROVIDER

62%
COMPUTE
PRODUCTIVITY CONSUMPTION TO

SAY DEAD OR UNUSED CODE

49% SUPPORT AI

AFFECTS DEVOPS PRODUCTIVITY ARE STILL IMPACTED

BY LOG4J
JAVA’S ROLE IN
65%
SAY JAVA
THE CLOUD
24% 33%
WORKLOADS ARE
MORE THAN HALF
THEIR CLOUD
71%
HAVE MORE THAN 20%
USE A HIGH-
PERFORMANCE JDK
SAY SECURITY
FALSE POSITIVES
WASTE MORE
COMPUTE BILLS UNUSED CLOUD THAN 50% OF
COMPUTE CAPACITY DEVOPS’ TIME
5
KEY AREAS OF FOCUS
JAVA’S CONTINUING INFLUENCE IN THE
ENTERPRISE
Java continues to solidify its position as a cornerstone of enterprise technology, with its
widespread adoption reflected in the survey data. Remarkably, only 1% of potential
participants across the globe were excluded from participating in Azul's survey due to
not using Java — a testament to the language’s ubiquity in modern development
environments. In addition, nearly 70% of respondents said that at least 50% of their
applications are either built with Java or run on a Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

ORACLE JAVA MIGRATION

Concerns over Oracle Java's pricing remain a significant pain point for many
enterprises. Two years after Oracle’s controversial pricing increase, 82% of Oracle Java
users continue to express unease over its cost structure – the exact same percentage
of users who expressed concern when Oracle made their latest pricing change in 2023.
In addition, the percentage of Oracle Java users considering switching to another
JVM/JDK such as those based on OpenJDK has climbed sharply — from 72% in 2023
to 88% today. This trend underscores a growing willingness among organizations to
explore alternative Java solutions that offer both cost efficiency and pricing certainty,
further signaling dissatisfaction with Oracle's pricing strategy.

JAVA’S ROLE IN THE CLOUD

As organizations continue to adopt and procure public cloud services, over half of that
capacity is being allocated to Java – nearly two-thirds of organizations that use Java
workloads in the cloud say more than 50% of their cloud compute costs are from Java
workloads. However, companies are struggling to find ways to align what they procure
to what they are actually using; 71% of survey respondents say that more than 20% of
their cloud compute capacity is unused.

6
KEY AREAS OF FOCUS
JAVA AND DEVOPS PRODUCTIVITY
Faster development cycles are a competitive advantage. But in an economic climate
where cost savings are critical, companies are investing an immense number of cycles
maintaining and fixing unused or dead code, hampering their ability to focus on
development that supports their organizations’ growth. In fact, 62% of survey
participants say that dead or unused code affects DevOps productivity. In addition,
33% of participants say that more than 50% of their DevOps teams’ time is wasted on
Java-related security vulnerability false positives. This inefficiency not only drains
productivity but also prevents DevOps teams from prioritizing critical tasks like driving
innovation and ensuring system resilience — key components for sustaining
organizational growth and staying competitive.

JAVA AND AI
Java developers are actively leveraging AI to drive innovation, enhance application
functionality, and deliver significant business value. 50% of survey participants who
build AI functionality use Java, surpassing the use of other popular languages like
Python that are more culturally associated with AI. This highlights Java's “fit-for-
purpose” nature in AI, offering scalability, extensive libraries, and seamless integration
with existing enterprise systems.

7
JAVA’S
CONTINUING
INFLUENCE
IN THE
ENTERPRISE
Java remains influential and in demand as a
cornerstone for enterprises. Only 1% of

68%
those contacted were disqualified from
taking the survey because they don’t use
Java. Furthermore, nearly 70% of
respondents say that more than half of their
applications are built with Java or run on a
JVM [Figure 1], underscoring Java’s role as a OF RESPONDENTS REPORT
foundation for both legacy systems and
THAT MORE THAN 50% OF
modern, scalable architectures. These
numbers reaffirm Java’s importance not just THEIR APPLICATIONS ARE BUILT
as a programming language, but as a critical WITH JAVA OR RUN ON A JVM
enabler of enterprise innovation and long-
term technological stability.

20%

17%
16% 16%
15% 14%

12%
11%
10%
8%
6%
5%

0%
Less than 31% 31-40% 41-50% 51-60% 61-70% 71-80% 81-90% 91-100%

TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT PERCENT OF YOUR ORGANIZATION’S

APPLICATIONS ARE BUILT WITH JAVA OR RUN ON A JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE
(JVM)? PLEASE CONSIDER IN-HOUSE DEVELOPED SOFTWARE AS WELL AS 3RD
PARTY SOFTWARE

Figure 1 - 68% of survey participants say more than 50% of their applications are built with Java or run on a JVM.

9
One of Java's key differentiators compared to other programming languages is its strong
backward compatibility across versions. Most applications compiled using a specific JDK
version will continue to run, without needing changes to code or recompilation on newer
versions. In older versions of Java, there have been some issues with APIs outside of the core
class libraries (e.g. migrating from Java 8 to Java 11 or 17). However, for organizations
considering upgrades, the process is notably smoother when transitioning from a recent
Long-Term Support (LTS) version, such as Java 17, to the latest LTS version Java 21. This has
been encouraging for organizations that want to have a more regular upgrade cycle.

This trend is reflected in the survey results. Java 21 emerged as the second most popular
version among respondents, surpassed only by Java 17, highlighting the strong adoption and
appeal of newer LTS releases within the Java ecosystem [Figure 2].

Oracle ended free support for Java 17 for commercial use in September 2024. When this
survey was being conducted in the fall of 2024, Java 17 users were in the midst of deciding
whether they were going to pay Oracle, upgrade to Java 21, or switch to another JDK
provider. Given they would be subject to the employee-based pricing model, the Java 17
deadline caused much consternation, which may explain why Java 17 use dropped from 48%
in 2023 to 34% this year.

In addition, 52% of participants use more than one version of Java, down from 64% in 2023,
which is likely due to companies consolidating on newer releases.

WHICH VERSION(S) OF JAVA DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION CURRENTLY

USE FOR ITS APPLICATIONS IN PRODUCTION?
34%
35%
31%
30%
25% 23% 23%

20%
15% 13% 13%
11% 11%
10% 10% 10%
9% 9%
10% 7%
6%
4%
5% 3%

0%
10

12

13

14

15

16

18

19

20

22
9
S)

S)

S)

S)

S)

S)
LT

LT

LT

(LT

(LT

(LT
6(

7(

8(

11

17

21

Figure 2 - Java 21 is the second most popular Java version among survey participants. LTS versions in purple.

10
NEARLY ALL JAVA-BASED COMPANIES PAY FOR JAVA
SUPPORT
When it comes to running applications on older versions of Java, functionality might not be an
issue — but support is a different story. While older Java versions can often be reliable, they
lack free commercial support, leaving organizations exposed to risks like unresolved security
vulnerabilities or unaddressed performance issues. The question then arises: is paying for
commercial Java support worth it? According to the survey, a resounding 85% of participants
think so, marking a notable increase from 66% in 2023 [Figure 3].

IS YOUR ORGANIZATION PAYING FOR JAVA SUPPORT?

100%
85%
80%
66%
60%

40% 34%

20% 15%

0%
2025 2023
Yes No

Figure 3 - 85% of survey participants pay for Java commercial support.

Applications operate in a chaotic, unpredictable world, and commercial Java support serves
as a critical safeguard against these challenges. Paid support provides essential services such
as patches, bug fixes, updates to address known vulnerabilities, and expert assistance to
mitigate risks. For example, only Oracle’s and Azul's commercial Java support includes access
to Critical Patch Updates (CPUs), which are a much smaller subset of vulnerability patches and
reduce a company’s reliance on larger Patch Set Updates (PSUs) which include bug fixes and
other non-critical code changes. Likewise, on several occasions PSUs have introduced new
regressions to Java, requiring a re-issue of the update which has typically taken two to five
weeks to resolve. Additionally, commercially supported versions of Java include
indemnification protection for organizations. Azul’s commercial support goes a step further as
the only distribution which offers security updates and bug fixes for legacy Java versions like
Java 6 and 7, which allows users to continue running applications on these platforms while
maintaining the maximum level of security and stability.

11
However, cost remains a growing barrier for some organizations. Among survey participants
who don’t pay for Java support, 21% cite expense as a deterrent, 31% say it isn’t a priority,
and a significant 52% believe they simply don’t need it [Figure 4]. This divide highlights the
trade-offs organizations face between upfront costs and the long-term value of secure,
reliable application performance — particularly in environments where stability and security
are non-negotiable.

WHY ISN’T YOUR ORGANIZATION PAYING FOR JAVA SUPPORT?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.
52%
We don't need support
62%
31%
Not a priority
33%
21%
No budget
22%
21%
Too expensive
18%
8%
Horrible support experience
4%
No support available for 6%
Java version(s) we use 3%
4%
Other
4%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

2025 2023

Figure 4 – 52% of participants say that they don’t need commercial Java support.

POPULAR JAVA-BASED INFRASTRUCTURES, LANGUAGES, AND

FRAMEWORKS
In this survey, Spark has overtaken Kafka as the top Java-based infrastructure [Figure 5].
Spark offers speed and versatility for data analysis, machine learning, and streaming data
processing.

12
 WHAT JAVA-BASED INFRASTRUCTURE IS YOUR ORGANIZATION USING?
SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.​
35%
35%
29% 28%
30%
24% 24%
25% 21%
19% 18%
20% 17%
15%
10% 6%
5% 1%
0%
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Figure 5 - Spark has overtaken Kafka as the top Java-based architecture.

Groovy is the most popular Java-based language in this survey, overtaking Kotlin and Scala
[Figure 6]. Groovy’s concise, flexible syntax is similar to Java’s, and developers can easily
integrate Groovy code with existing Java applications while enjoying its dynamic features.

WHAT JAVA-BASED LANGUAGES IS YOUR ORGANIZATION USING?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.​
40% 36% 35% 33%
30% 26% 28%

20%

10%
1%
0%
Groovy Scala Kotlin Clojure We are only Other
using
“traditional” Java

Figure 6 - Groovy has overtaken Kotlin and Scala as the most popular Java-based language

Spring Boot is still the most popular microservices-based framework, as it was in 2023 [Figure
7]. Spring Boot simplifies development with features like automatic configuration and
dependency management.

13
 WHICH MICROSERVICE FRAMEWORKS DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION
USE FOR JAVA-BASED MICROSERVICES? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.​
50%
42%
39%
40% 37%
31%
30% 25%

20%

10% 7%
2%
0%
Springboot Micronaut DropWizard Quarkus Vert.x We don’t use a Other
Java-based
micorservices
framework

Figure 7 - Spring Boot is still the most popular microservices-based framework.

14
ORACLE
JAVA
MIGRATION
Concerns over Oracle Java’s pricing remain a persistent and growing challenge for
enterprises. Two years after Oracle’s shift to an employee-based pricing model in January
2023, 82% of Oracle Java users continue to express concern over its cost structure [Figure 8]
— a figure unchanged since the sentiment reported in the immediate aftermath of the
announcement in Azul’s 2023 survey. In addition, while 72% of Oracle Java users were already
considering a switch to another OpenJDK provider in 2023, that figure has surged to 88% in
2024 [Figure 10]. This growing dissatisfaction reflects a pressing need for cost-effective
alternatives that align with tight IT budgets. Oracle’s pricing model has not only fueled
concerns about affordability but also spurred organizations to re-examine their long-term
strategies for managing Java licensing and support costs, driving a search for more
predictable and sustainable options.

HOW CONCERNED IS YOUR ORGANIZATION OVER THE JANUARY 2023

JAVA PRICING CHANGES ANNOUNCED BY ORACLE?

4%
14% 19% Extremely concerned
Very concerned
Concerned
Somewhat concerned

28% 23% Not at all concerned

I didn’t know about the
pricing changes

12%

Figure 8 - 82% of organizations are concerned about Oracle Java pricing.

Oracle ended free commercial support for Java 17 in October 2024, and participants who
were still using Oracle Java 17 at the time the survey was conducted were in the last days of
free support. Those participants have either decided to pay Oracle for continued use and
support, upgrade to Java 21, replace Java with another programming language, or migrate to
another JDK distribution/provider. 55% of Oracle Java 17 users say they are very or
extremely concerned, compared to 42% overall [Figure 9].

16
 HOW CONCERNED IS YOUR ORGANIZATION OVER THE JANUARY 2023 JAVA
PRICING CHANGES ANNOUNCED BY ORACLE? (ORACLE JAVA 17 USERS)
30% 28% 27% 28%
23% 24%
25%
19%
20%
14%
15% 12% 11%
10%
10%
4%
5%
0%
Extremely Very Concerned Somewhat Not at all I didn’t know
concerned concerned concerned concerned about the
pricing changes
All Oracle Java 17 users paying for support

Figure 9 - 55% of Oracle Java 17 users are very or extremely concerned about Oracle Java pricing.

THE MIGRATION FROM ORACLE JAVA CONTINUES

A staggering 88% of companies using Oracle Java are now considering switching to another
Java provider [Figure 10]. This represents a dramatic 22% increase over the 2023 survey
results [Figure 11], signaling growing dissatisfaction with Oracle’s pricing and licensing
policies. Moreover, nearly half (46%) of these companies are opting to migrate to an
OpenJDK release with paid support, highlighting a strong preference for cost-effective yet
reliable solutions that meet their technical and business needs.

17
 IS YOUR ORGANIZATION CONSIDERING MIGRATING FROM ORACLE
JAVA TO A NON-ORACLE DISTRIBUTION?

12%
Yes, to an OpenJDK distribution with paid support

17% Yes, to an OpenJDK distribution without paid support

46%
Yes, but we haven’t decided on specific distribution or
support options yet
No, we are currently staying with Oracle Java
25%

Figure 10 - 88% of companies that use Oracle Java are considering switching to another Java provider.

IS YOUR ORGANIZATION CONSIDERING MIGRATING FROM

ORACLE JAVA TO A NON-ORACLE DISTRIBUTION?
100% 88%
80% 72%

60%
40% 28%
20% 12%

0%
2025 2023
Yes No

Figure 11 - More companies are considering switching to a non-Oracle Java provider in 2025 than in 2023.

When asked why they are considering switching to another Java provider, respondents
voiced significant dissatisfaction with Oracle, citing a range of reasons. 42% say that Oracle is
too expensive, 37% highlighted Oracle's sales tactics, and 36% pointed to uncertainty created
by ongoing pricing and licensing changes. In addition, 40% of respondents note a preference
for open-source solutions, emphasizing the appeal of community-driven innovation and
flexibility [Figure 12]. Together, these factors paint a clear picture of growing dissatisfaction
among Oracle Java users, fueling the search for alternatives.

18
 WHY IS YOUR ORGANIZATION CONSIDERING CHANGING FROM ORACLE JAVA TO A
NON-ORACLE DISTRIBUTION? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.​
50%
42% 40%
40% 37% 36%
33% 32% 30% 30%
30%

20%

10%

0%
Cost (Oracle Java Preference for Oracle sales Uncertainty Restrictive Oracle Oracle audit risk Oracle support is Oracle doesn’t
is too expensive) open-source tactics created by policies not meeting support all the
(e.g., OpenJDK) ongoing expectations versions of Java
changes (pricing, or configurations
licensing, we require (e.g.
support, etc.) Java 6 & 7)

Figure 12 - Most participants say they are considering switching to another Java provider because of
dissatisfaction with Oracle.

19
JAVA’S
ROLE IN
THE CLOUD
As organizations increasingly adopt public cloud services, a significant portion of that capacity
— more than half — is dedicated to Java workloads. In fact, nearly two-thirds of organizations
using Java in the cloud report that over 50% of their cloud compute costs stem from Java.
Optimizing Java in the cloud presents a substantial opportunity to reduce costs without
compromising performance [Figure 13].

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR CLOUD (PUBLIC, PRIVATE, HYBRID)

COMPUTE COST IS FROM JAVA WORKLOADS?
50% 43%
40%
28%
30% 22%
20%
10% 7%
0%
1-25% 25-60% 51-75% 76-100%

Figure 13 - 65% say more than half their cloud compute cost is from Java workloads. There is tremendous
opportunity for reducing cloud bills by optimizing Java compute workloads in the cloud.

COMPANIES CONTINUE TO OVERPROVISION CLOUD

RESOURCES
Many organizations are overpaying for cloud resources due to significant underutilization of
their compute capacity. The survey reveals that 71% of respondents have more than 20% of
their cloud compute capacity sitting idle [Figure 14]. This widespread overprovisioning
highlights a costly disconnect between the resources companies purchase and what they
actually use. As cloud expenses climb, this inefficiency not only inflates operating costs but
also diverts funds that could be invested in innovation or growth initiatives.

21
 ON AVERAGE, HOW MUCH UNUSED COMPUTE CAPACITY DOES YOUR
ORGANIZATION HAVE IN THE PUBLIC CLOUD?
5% 4%
7% 8% None (auto-scaling, 41-50% is unutilized
auto-releasing, etc.)
11% Less than 10% is unutilized 51-60% is unutilized
16%
11-20% is unutilized 61-70% is unutilized
12% 21-30% is unutilized 71% or more is
unutilized
19% 31-40% is unutilized
17%

Figure 14 – 71% of organizations have more than 20% unutilized cloud compute capacity that they pay for.

Most survey respondents are taking proactive measures to prevent overspending on cloud
services, implementing their own guardrails to manage expenses more effectively [Figure 15].
This shift reflects a growing awareness of the financial risks associated with unchecked cloud
spending, particularly as cloud usage becomes increasingly integral to business operations. By
taking steps to better align cloud investments with actual usage, organizations can not only
control costs but also maximize the value they derive from their cloud environments, ensuring
that spending supports innovation and operational efficiency rather than waste.

Over the last 12 months, 38% of survey participants say they have implemented new
internal rules for using cloud instances, including 25% who say that they have already
established a FinOps function. 35% of organizations are using newer, more efficient compute
instances and processors, supporting the trend to use AWS Graviton and ARM processors for
efficiency and speed. In addition, 24% of survey respondents use a high-performance JDK to
enhance application performance, reduce costs, and boost efficiency. This highlights the
growing recognition among organizations that investing in an optimized Java runtime can
deliver significant operational and financial benefits.

22
 OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS, WHAT ACTIONS HAS YOUR ORGANIZATION TAKEN TO
REDUCE PUBLIC CLOUD COSTS FOR YOUR JAVA-BASED APPLICATIONS AND
INFRASTRUCTURE? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.​
40% 38%
35% 35% 34%
30%
30% 28%
25% 24%

20%

10%
6%
1%
0%
Established Leveraged Used Leveraged Renegotiated Leveraged Established Utilized a We have not Other
internal rules newer, more dynamic and cloud cloud spot and a FinOps high- taken any
for cloud efficient schedule- provider tools contracts reserved function performance actions to
asset compute based and best instances JDK reduce public
management instances and autoscaling practices cloud costs
processors

Figure 15 - Organizations are leveraging many different approaches to curb cloud spend, including utilizing a
high-performance JDK.

Of those organizations who use a high-performing JDK, the top two reasons cited were to
“improve application performance” and “optimize cloud compute costs.” [Figure 16]

23
 WHY DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION USE A HIGH-PERFORMANCE JDK?
SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.
70% 67%
61% 60% 58% 57%
60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%
1%
0%
Improve Optimize cloud Improve Maintain Increase DevOps Other
application compute costs customer consistent efficiency (i.e.
performance experiences with service levels of avoid
(faster execution, faster interactions loads increase performance
reduce latency, tuning)
etc.)

Figure 16 - Organizations who use a high-performance JDK cite many reasons why.

24
JAVA AND
DEVOPS
PRODUCTIVITY
Faster development cycles are essential for maintaining a competitive edge, but organizations
face significant barriers that impact DevOps efficiency. Dead or unused code is a major
challenge, with 62% of survey participants reporting it hampers their DevOps teams'
effectiveness [Figure 17].

By leveraging technologies and processes to improve DevOps productivity, organizations can

focus on driving innovation, growth, system resilience, customer experience, and ultimately
company growth.

IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, HOW MUCH DOES UNUSED OR DEAD JAVA CODE AFFECT
YOUR DEVOPS TEAMS’ PRODUCTIVITY?

4%
8%
23% To a great extent
Somewhat
Very little
Not at all
27%
We don’t have dead or unused Java code

39%

Figure 17 - 62% of participants say dead or unused code affects DevOps productivity somewhat or to a great
extent.

SECURITY ISSUES IMPACT DEVOPS PRODUCTIVITY

Security also takes a toll on DevOps productivity. 33% of respondents say more than half of
their DevOps teams’ time is wasted addressing false positives from Java-related security
vulnerabilities [Figure 18]. When DevOps can’t separate the real vulnerabilities from the
hypothetical ones, DevOps have fewer resources available for development and other
priorities to help drive the business.

26
 TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR DEVOPS TEAM’S TIME
IS WASTED ON JAVA-RELATED SECURITY VULNERABILITY FALSE POSITIVES?

4% 4%
9% 76% or more
51-75%

31% 26-50%

24% 1-25%
None
Our DevOps team isn’t responsible for
28% Java-related security vulnerabilities

Figure 18 - False positives prevent efficient vulnerability triage.

Critical security issues are a significant concern for survey participants, with 41% reporting
that they encounter critical production security issues within their Java ecosystem on a weekly
or daily basis [Figure 19]. The high frequency of daily false positives can become
overwhelming, leading to alert fatigue and reducing employees' attentiveness to genuine
security threats.

HOW FREQUENTLY DOES YOUR COMPANY FIND CRITICAL PRODUCTION SECURITY

ISSUES WITHIN THE JAVA ECOSYSTEM (APPLICATIONS, JAVA-BASED LIBRARIES,
FRAMEWORKS, INFRASTRUCTURE, ETC.)?
3% Daily
7%
14%
Weekly
14%
Monthly
Once every few months
14% 27%
A few times a year
Once a year or less
Never
23%

Figure 19 - Critical security issues still plague participants.

27
Log4Shell, a critical vulnerability in the Log4j Java library, was publicly disclosed in December
2021, along with a corresponding patch. However, organizations faced significant hurdles in
addressing this issue — first in identifying the vulnerable versions of Log4j scattered
throughout their Java applications and infrastructures, and then in ensuring those instances
were consistently and effectively patched.

Three years later, almost half the companies in this survey are still experiencing security
vulnerabilities from Log4j in production [Figure 20].

IS YOUR ORGANIZATION STILL EXPERIENCING SECURITY VULNERABILITIES FROM

LOG4J IN PRODUCTION?

10%

Yes
No
49% We never experienced
41% Log4j vulnerabilities

Figure 20 - 49% of the companies in this survey are still experiencing security vulnerabilities from Log4j in
production.

28
JAVA
AND AI
Java's long-standing strengths in performance, scalability, and stability make it a natural fit for
developing AI-powered applications, offering the computational efficiency and enterprise-
grade reliability that AI solutions demand.

JAVA IS THE LANGUAGE OF CHOICE FOR AI DEVELOPMENT

While Python often dominates conversations around AI development, this survey highlights
that for Java-centric developers and businesses, Java remains a top choice. In fact, 50% of
organizations use Java to code AI functionality — surpassing both Python and JavaScript
[Figure 21].

WHICH PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION USE TO CODE AI

FUNCTIONALITY? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.
50%
50% 44% 41% 41%
40% 32%
30%
20% 17% 16% 14%
13% 13% 11% 10% 10%
9%
10% 1%
0% ell
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Ja

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Ja

Figure 21 – 50% of companies that build AI functionality internally build it with Java.

Among organizations that use Java to build AI functionality, JavaML is the most commonly
used Java AI library [Figure 22].

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 WHAT JAVA AI LIBRARIES DOES YOUR COMPANY USE SPECIFICALLY
TO BUILD AI FUNCTIONALITY? SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.​
50% 48%

40%
30%
30% 25%
21% 20%
20% 18% 17% 17% 17% 17%
16% 15% 15% 15% 15%
14% 14% 13%
12% 12% 11%
10% 6%

0%

a
Ap D NLP

JC rj

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M J
he Jv ch

CU as

L
ra ML

De e O Flow

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yT L

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AM A
ar LP
ac so B

he
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4
C

St pa ing4

an
UD

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Ap en MLI

all
La aho
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r

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en

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o
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ac ata

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fo e J

ch
ep pen

re
h r
ry
va Ja

n
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ac
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Figure 22 - JavaML is the most commonly used Java AI library in this survey.

Artificial intelligence is having an impact on the way organizations strategize, build code, and
maintain applications and infrastructure. All this activity requires compute power, so it’s no
surprise that 72% of survey participants say their compute consumption will have to grow for
them to support Java applications with AI functionality [Figure 23].

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 HOW WILL YOUR COMPUTING CONSUMPTION NEED TO CHANGE TO SUPPORT
JAVA APPLICATIONS WITH AI FUNCTIONALITY?

6% 2%

20%
30%
Grow significantly
Grow somewhat
Remain about the same
Shrink somewhat
Shrink significantly
42%

Figure 23 - Compute consumption will have to grow for them to support Java applications with AI functionality.

As this survey focuses on organizations already invested in Java, it’s no surprise that Java
leads the pack; however, it also highlights that Java developers continue to innovate with
Java, leveraging the programming language’s robust ecosystem to embrace emerging
technologies like AI. This further solidifies Java’s role as a cornerstone for modern, future-
ready application development.

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CONCLUSION
After three decades, it’s clear that Java is more critical for business success than ever before.
More than 2,000 Java users were contacted to participate in the 2025 State of Java Survey
and Report, and only 1% were disqualified because they didn’t use Java or manage a team
responsible for Java.

Azul’s 2025 State of Java Survey and Report highlights several critical themes that are shaping
the Java ecosystem and will remain pivotal in the years ahead. These themes span a range of
business and technical concerns, reflecting the evolving priorities of Java-based organizations.
On the business front, the rising costs associated with Oracle Java support continue to
dominate discussions, prompting a significant majority of companies to re-evaluate their Java
strategies. Meanwhile, on the technical front, organizations are trying to make Java as
efficient, performant, and affordable as possible in the cloud. They are trying to keep their
DevOps teams free to build exciting new features, and they are innovating with AI.

Together, these themes provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities Java-
based organizations face as they navigate an increasingly complex technological and
economic landscape.

THE ORACLE JAVA MIGRATION IS IN FULL SWING

Two years after Oracle announced its employee-based Java pricing and licensing, concern
over Oracle’s pricing model remains high. Organizations are responding in kind, with 88%
considering migrating away from Oracle to another Java distribution/provider.

ORGANIZATIONS ARE OPTIMIZING APPLICATION

PERFORMANCE AND CLOUD COSTS
71% of companies say they have more than 20% unused cloud compute capacity they are
paying for. Organizations are tackling these cloud costs by employing a variety of strategies
including implementing new internal rules for managing cloud instances, adopting FinOps
practices, upgrading to more efficient compute instances and processors, and leveraging
high-performance JDKs. By using a high-performance JDK, organizations are able to enhance
application performance, improve customer satisfaction, and lower compute costs.

UNUSED AND DEAD CODE IS IMPACTING DEVOPS

PRODUCTIVITY
62% of survey participants say dead or unused code affects DevOps productivity, and 33% of
respondents say more than 50% of their DevOps teams’ time is wasted addressing false
positives from Java-related security vulnerabilities.

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JAVA IS A PLAYER IN AI
50% of organizations are using Java to code AI functionality and Java-based libraries to build
AI functionality. 72% of survey participants say their compute consumption will have to grow
for them to support Java applications with AI functionality.

35
ABOUT
THIS
SURVEY
Participants from companies of all sizes were invited to participate in this survey on their
company’s adoption and use of Java. This data was compiled from Java professionals and
those that use or deploy Java-based applications and infrastructure at all seniority levels.

A total of 2,039 qualified participants from six continents completed the survey. All
participants had direct or managerial Java responsibilities. Dimensional Research, a leading
market research firm, administered the electronic survey. Participants were offered token
compensation for their participation.

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBES YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR JAVA (CODE,

APPLICATIONS, ENVIRONMENTS, ETC.)?

26% 20% Working with Java is a minor part of my job

Working with Java is a substantial part of my job
Working with Java is my entire job
I manage a team that has responsibilities for
Java (code, applications, environments, etc.)
18%
36%

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? CHOOSE THE ANSWER THAT MOST CLEARLY APPLIES.
1%

5%
12% United States or Canada
Europe
Asia
46%
Australia or New Zealand
Mexico, Central America, or South America
35%

37
 Te
ch
no
lo
gy

10%
15%
20%
25%
30%

0%
5%
Fin (sof
an tw
ar
e

29%
Re cial
ta Se )

16%
il & rv
Te eC ices
ch

15%
om
11%
no
lo m
gy er
ce

7%
(h
ar
5%

M d wa
an re

7%
uf )
ac
tu
rin
15%

6%
En S er
52%
er vic
gy es

5%
&
Ut
ili
t

5%
He ies
alt
h
Go care

5%
ve
rn
Tra
ns m
en

4%
po Ed t
rta
tio ucat
n io

4%
Te
100-1,000

lec & Lo n
om gi
1,001-5,000

m st
Less than 100
5,000-10,000

3%
un ics
Ho ica
More than 10,000

sp tio
ita ns

3%
lit
WHAT IS YOUR ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY INDUSTRY?

y&
En Ot
te h

3%
rta er
Ph inm
APPROXIMATELY, HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES YOUR COMPANY EMPLOY?

ar en
m

2%
ac t
eu
tic
al

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ABOUT AZUL
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Azul provides the Java platform for the modern cloud
enterprise. Azul is the only company 100% focused on Java. Millions of Java developers,
hundreds of millions of devices, and the world’s most highly regarded businesses trust Azul to
power their applications with exceptional capabilities, performance, security, value, and
success. Azul customers include 36% of the Fortune 100, 50% of the Forbes Top-Ten World’s
Most Valuable Brands, all 10 of the world’s top 10 financial trading companies, and leading
brands like Avaya, Bazaarvoice, BMW, Deutsche Telekom, LG, Mastercard, Mizuho, Priceline,
Salesforce, Software AG, and Workday. Learn more at azul.com and follow us @azulsystems.

ABOUT DIMENSIONAL RESEARCH

Dimensional Research provides practical marketing research to help technology companies
make their customers more successful. Our researchers are experts in the people, processes,
and technology of corporate IT and understand how IT organizations operate. We partner
with our clients to deliver actionable information that reduces risks, increases customer
satisfaction, and grows the business. For more information, visit
www.dimensionalresearch.com.

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates.
Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact Azul
385 Moffett Park Drive, Suite 115 Sunnyvale, CA
94089 USA +1.650.230.6500
www.azul.com
Copyright © 2025 Azul Systems, Inc.

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