The State of Java in 2025: Oracle’s dominance is over

Java has long been the backbone of enterprise applications, from critical business systems to cutting-edge AI functionalities. But today, a pressing question within the Australian IT community is whether Oracle Java still deserves its place as the default choice.

According to the latest Azul 2025 State of Java Survey & Report, the answer is a resounding no.

The report reveals profound shifts in how Australian organisations approach Java. Concerns about Oracle's pricing, licensing practices, and cloud inefficiencies are mounting, challenging Oracle's dominance and paving the way for alternatives. 

Enterprises Turning Away from Oracle Java

The survey data paints a stark picture for Oracle. A staggering 90% of Australian organisations are considering switching to alternative Java providers, with 85% expressing concerns about Oracle's pricing model. Almost two-fifths (39%) are extremely or very concerned, reflecting widespread unease in the market.
When asked about their reasons for seeking alternatives, nearly half (44%) cited uncertainty stemming from Oracle's frequent changes in pricing and licensing. Others expressed a growing preference for open-source Java solutions (38%), and 36% identified cost as a significant factor. 

What is clear is that Java isn't going anywhere and remains deeply entrenched in Australian enterprises. 68% of organisations run over 50% of their applications on Java platforms. However, the days of unquestioned commitment to Oracle appear to be fading. Instead, CIOs and IT decision-makers are exploring cost-effective, open-source alternatives that offer flexibility and predictability.

The Hidden Cloud Costs of Java

Another key survey finding is that Java workloads significantly burden organisations' cloud budgets. For many Australian businesses, Java is a staple of the cloud ecosystem, with 61% reporting that Java workloads make up more than half of their cloud computing costs. 

Yet this heavy cloud reliance comes at a price: 66% admit to having more than 20% unused cloud computing capacity, which they still pay for. However, efforts to offset inefficiencies are underway. Around 19% of organisations have adopted high-performance JDKs, optimising workloads to improve application performance and reduce cloud costs. However, the data suggests that many still have a long way to go before they achieve true resource alignment.

DevOps Productivity Lags Behind

Java's influence extends beyond infrastructure to directly impact development workflows, often for the worse. Like their counterparts globally, Australian DevOps teams are grappling with considerable challenges tied to ineffective code management. Aside from the waste of significant resources on dead and unused Java code, which affects DevOps productivity in 64% of Australian businesses, time lost to false security positives, which affects 27% of teams, shows that productivity is taking a serious hit.

Alarmingly, even years after the initial discovery of the Log4j vulnerability, 45% of Australian organisations say they are still dealing with its effects in live production environments. In addition to this, there is concern around Java-based CVEs, where 41% are most worried about vulnerabilities written by their developers. Security challenges within Java ecosystems are proving persistent and wide-ranging.

Java's Role in AI

Despite mounting concerns, the survey highlights Java's evolving role in emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. While Python has historically dominated AI discussions, Java is carving out its niche. 41% of Australian organisations leverage Java to build AI functionalities, surpassing JavaScript and positioning itself as a key component of enterprise AI strategies.

However, AI integration presents its own set of hurdles. 73% of Australian businesses predict needing more computing capacity to support Java-driven AI workloads, compounding existing cloud inefficiencies. Java's robust library ecosystem and compatibility with enterprises make it a compelling choice for AI development, encouraging businesses to innovate while navigating these infrastructure demands.

The Path Ahead: Oracle or Alternatives?

Java remains indispensable in Australian enterprises, but the Azul 2025 State of Java Survey & Report makes one thing clear – organisations are rethinking their relationship with Oracle. 
Whether it's prohibitively high costs, evolving licensing complexities, or inefficiencies in cloud optimization, decision-makers are actively seeking alternatives to streamline operations and protect precious budgets.
The transition from Oracle Java indicates a broader shift toward flexibility, open source, and cost-effective solutions that align with business priorities. 

For CIOs, IT professionals, and developers, these challenges signal an urgent need to evaluate how Java is implemented and supported within their organisations. Moving forward, the focus isn't just on maintaining the status quo and optimising Java deployments to drive efficiency, reduce risk, and spark innovation. 

The question isn't whether Java has a future (it does) but who will lead it. 

The global Azul 2025 State of Java Survey & Report can be downloaded here.