From Fragile To Agile

Los Angeles to San Francisco Road Trip via Route 1

2018-10-18T15:55:00.001+01:00

One of the great things of attending international conferences is that you get the chance to explore parts of the world that you might otherwise never visit. I've been revisiting my old videos and photos from previous trips, and I unearthed this timelapse of a road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco prior to attending JavaOne in 2016. I hope you like it.

Back In The (Blogging) Game!

2018-10-08T11:00:00.000+01:00

Hello hello! After a long hiatus I am back to blogging (or at least trying to). I'm not exactly sure the topics that I'll be covering, but they will gravitate around Java, Scala, JVM, Continuous Delivery, and agile methodologies. Some of them will be very interesting, and some others might be a bit like "seriously mate, that is so last year"... you tell me which one is which :P

Why so long the hiatus? Well, among other things, because I've been busy co-writing a book with Daniel Bryant about Continuous Delivery in Java. Is it good? Is it useful? Well, there again, you tell me! Check out the early access version and let me know your feedback :).

InfoQ: Object Deserialisation Filters Backported fr

2017-03-30T09:00:00.000+01:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

JEP 290, which allows the filtering of incoming data when deserialising an object, and was initially targeted to Java 9, has been backported to Java 6, 7, and 8. The feature provides a mechanism to filter incoming data in an object input stream as it is being processed, and can help prevent deserialisation vulnerabilities like the one that affected Apache Commons and other libraries a while back.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: The Last Frontier in Java Performance: Remove the Garbage Collector

2017-03-03T09:00:00.000+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

Aleksey Shipilëv, performance and OpenJDK developer at RedHat, has filed a new JEP draft to create a no-op garbage collector: that is, a GC that doesn't actually reclaim memory. This collector is aimed at aiding JVM implementers and researchers and, to a lesser extent but perhaps more interesting for the public, ultra-performant applications that generate little to no garbage. If the JEP goes ahead, the new GC would be available together with the existing ones, and would have no effect unless explicitly activated.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Java 9 Will Adjust Memory Limits if Running with Docker

2017-02-22T08:00:00.000+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

A first experimental change has been added to OpenJDK 9 so the JVM can understand that it is running within a container and adjust memory limits accordingly. Despite the increase in popularity of containers in the last few years, many tools, including the JVM, still rely on the host's parameters to assess available resources, oftentimes running out of memory with baffling error messages. This change, that could be available to the public once Java 9 is released, tries to prevent many of those scenarios.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Date and Time Formatting in Java 9 Will Get Closer to Unicode Locale Standards

2017-02-16T08:47:00.000+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

A number of parsing and formatting changes have been incorporated in Java 9 to bring the functionality closer to Unicode Locale Data Markup Language (LDML). These changes have been supervised by Stephen Colebourne, creator of the popular date-time library JodaTime, precursor of the new java.time component in Java 8. Abiding by the Unicode standard will provide better interoperability with other, non-Java systems.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: MicroProfile Becomes Eclipse MicroProfile

2017-02-09T08:30:00.000+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

MicroProfile, the community initiative to provide a microservices standard platform for enterprise Java, has joined the Eclipse Foundation to become an Eclipse project. The move is aimed at ensuring that MicroProfile remains a vendor-neutral project, and hopes to leverage the resources and momentum of the Eclipse Foundation. The decision hasn't come without drawbacks though, causing some arguments and temporarily diverting efforts from other objectives.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Java 9 Enters First Bug Fixing Round

2017-02-02T08:44:00.000+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

Java 9 is now officially feature complete, meaning the first bug-fixing phase has started. HTTP/2 Client didn't make it on time for the deadline and has been downgraded to an incubating feature. Since the objective now is to prepare Java 9 for general availability in July, it is very unlikely that any new JEP is added at this point.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: New JEP Would Simplify Java Type Variance

2017-01-27T08:23:00.000+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

A new JEP Candidate proposes to facilitate the handling of the recondite concept of type variance in Java. The new proposal, potentially targeting Java 10, would introduce a means for specifying default variance of target types in the definition of the generic type, as opposed to the current style of indicating it through wildcards when the generic type is instantiated. This proposal is not a replacement for wildcards, but rather a way to reduce the need for them.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Java 10 Could Bring Upgraded Lambdas

2017-01-18T08:48:00.000+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

A new JEP has been filed with proposed changes to enhance lambda functionality, including better disambiguation, use of the underscore for unused parameters, and shadowing of outer variables. Although these changes would bring lambdas in Java closer to those of other languages', initial discussions are showing a mixed level of support. This JEP complements a series of other proposals to improve the Java language and which include local variable type inference and enhanced enums, all of them potentially included in Java 10.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Java Enums to Be Enhanced with Sharper Type Support

2017-01-12T08:14:00.000+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

Java enums will be enhanced with generics support and with the ability to add methods to individual items, new JEP shows. Both features can be delivered with one single change, reason for which they're bundled together. The change only affects the Java compiler, and therefore no runtime changes are needed. Although there is no target version, Java 10 seems likely.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Java Type Inference Won't Support Mutability Specification

2016-12-27T08:15:00.000+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

Java type inference won't support differentiation of mutable vs immutable variables due to lack of consensus within the community regarding how this should be implemented, recent communication shows. Also, to prevent a long debate about corner cases, a number of them will be ruled out for simplicity. Although the JEP doesn't indicate a target version, Java 10 seems likely.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Latest Java 9 Schedule Appears to Be at Risk from the Outset

2016-12-12T18:17:00.002+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

After reaching approval of the feature extension process, Oracle has confirmed July 2017 as the new target for the Java 9 release. The date is very similar to that previously predicted by InfoQ, although for various reasons this might indicate risk: while our estimation was based on a feature extension period of three months, the actual period will last seven months, with cuts in testing effort to make up the difference. Early, informal testing might be in place to compensate.

Check the full article for more details.

Speaking at Better Software East

2016-12-01T17:24:00.000+00:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend and speak at Better Software East, a conference co-located with DevOps East and Agile Dev East and held in Orlando, Florida. The conference per-se lasted four days, with two days of tutorials and two days of talks, although it also included a leading day dedicated to certification courses (paid separately), and a trailing day dedicated to an Agile Summit aimed and the C-suite, totalling six days of events. And it had the added benefit of being hosted at Disney World, with scenery like this:

The content of the conference was very interesting, and I seemed to perceive a couple of trends: on one side, companies are focusing more and more on testing, specially on the role of testing in an agile organisation. On the other hand, organisations are beginning to gather and analyse all sorts of data and metrics regarding the performance of agile teams, which is helping prove what works and what doesn't (with some myths being surprisingly debunked). For more details, you can check my report on the talks and the tutorials.

Finally, I gave my usual "Keeping Your CI/CD Pipeline as Fast as It Needs to Be" talk, but this time I also covered for my colleague Adrian Rapan on his "Exploratory Security Testing in the Browser", I believe both with good reception. All in all, it was a good experience that I would recommend to everyone :)

InfoQ: Oracle Presents First Proposal for Value Types Implementation

2016-11-10T06:13:00.000+00:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

A couple of months ago, Oracle JVM architect John Rose, and Oracle Java language architect Brian Goetz, published the first minimal value type proposal. Value types will provide developers with the capability to define new types that share some of the semantics of primitives. The objective of this initial proposal is simply to allow prototyping, experimentation, and the production of the first micro-benchmarks; since the final version is not expected until Java 10, the proposal adds only one new bytecode instruction to support value types, and defers any Java language changes for a future version.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Java EE 8 Delayed Until End of 2017, Oracle Announces at JavaOne

2016-09-26T09:02:00.001+01:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

After weeks of speculation, Anil Gaur, Oracle Group Vice President with responsibility for Java EE and WebLogic Server, has unveiled Oracle’s proposed roadmap for Java EE today at JavaOne. The plan is to release Java EE 8 by the end of 2017 with basic microservice and cloud capabilities, and then to release Java EE 9 one year later with further features.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Oracle Shares Their Strategy for Java EE with the JCP Executive Committee

2016-09-14T08:44:00.000+01:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

Anil Gaur, Oracle Group Vice President with responsibility for Java EE and WebLogic Server, was invited to speak at the last JCP Executive Committee meeting to shed some light over the future of Java EE. His message was in line with previous statements from Oracle: enterprise programming is changing, and Oracle wants to adapt to it. However, there still isn't a clearly defined plan, and questions from the EC members seemed to highlight the gaps.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Oracle Paves the Way to Standardise Command Line Options in the JDK

2016-08-02T09:04:00.000+01:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

Jonathan Gibbons, Lead for the Java SE Language Tools Team at Oracle, has created JEP 293 to introduce a set of guidelines for command line options in JDK tools in an attempt to fix the existing disparity among them. The JEP has no target version yet, meaning it will be delivered with Java 10 as soonest; however, taking into account that the scope is only to create a set of guidelines for new options, not to modify existing options, it might take even longer for the effects to be felt.

Check the full article for more details.

My book is out! Real-World Maintainable Software

2016-07-28T13:38:00.000+01:00

One of the most exciting projects that I've had the fortune to work with has finally come to fruition: my book "Real-World Maintainable Software". It's a short book, or even a report on the bigger topic of the Ten Coding Guidelines for code maintainability as discussed by Joost Visser, Sylvan Rigal, Rob van der Leek, Pascal van Eck and Gijs Wijnholds.

The book is free and easy to read (at least I tried to make it easy to read). Its shortness is an asset, as it allows me to present succinctly how the aforementioned ten guidelines, which could even translate into mere habits, can make your code much more maintainable. So go ahead, take a look, and let's have a chat about it :)

InfoQ: Java EE Vendors and the London JUG Announce New MicroProfile

2016-07-19T09:01:00.002+01:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

During the last DevNation Conference, Red Hat, IBM, Tomitribe, Payara, and the London Java Community announced the creation of the MicroProfile, a new initiative to try and leverage Java EE technologies to create a vendor-neutral microservices framework. The goal is to have a first public version by September 2016, allowing developers to create portable microservices in Java.

Check the full article for more details.

InfoQ: Java 9 on the Brink of a Delivery Date and Scope Review

2016-07-11T09:35:00.000+01:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

After the May 2016 deadline was missed for a feature complete Java 9, Mark Reinhold, Chief Architect of the Java Platform, suggested a method to collectively review all work remaining in unfinished JEPs and decide whether delaying the project further to accommodate, or descope them. Although the process hasn't finished yet, the current state suggests a combination of both.

Check the full article for more details.

Devoxx UK 2016: Keeping Your CI/CD Pipeline As Fast As It Needs To Be

2016-07-07T20:23:00.003+01:00

Last June the brilliant guys of Devoxx UK let me present my talk "Keeping Your CI/CD Pipeline as Fast as It Needs to Be", which was an absolute pleasure for two reasons. First, because nice as it is to discover new cities and countries through the conference circuit, speaking at your home city has a special appeal. And second, because the Devoxx universe is full of great people, and they're about to get even fuller! (Did you know there is going to be Devoxx USA now?).

If you're a regular of this blog you probably won't see anything new, this talk is basically the same one that I gave at jDays, although I've been told that practice has improved it. If you haven't seen it yet, then I recommend watching this version or, for an extended view with extra content, the version at ACCU.

And now, without further ado, the talk :)

As usual, any kind of feedback will be appreciated.

InfoQ: Codename One Adds Support for Java Apps to Target the Universal Windows Platform

2016-07-05T09:00:00.000+01:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

Codename One, a popular app development environment that allows Java to be used for a variety of platforms, can now also target the Universal Windows Platform. This will allow Java developers to target any device where Windows 10 is installed, phone, table or desktop, and raises the number of targetable platforms to eight.

Check the full article for more details.

#Brexit: Preserving Legal Discrimination

2016-06-25T18:56:00.000+01:00

Brexit. It may be too soon to fully understand what just happened. Adrenaline still running too high. But if we want to prevent the potentially disastrous consequences we need to look at this from some distance, allowing us to fit this event within the context of the events that lead to this, and that will be driven by this. Let me explain.

In 1918, the UK passed the Representation of the People Act, which increased suffrage rights so as to include all men older than 21 and some women older than 30 (some, because receiving a right to vote depended on some other factors). Equality in the right to vote between men and women didn’t arrive until the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act of 1928. This is a perfect example in which men and women weren’t treated equally against the law, in other words, there was a perfectly legal way to discriminate people on grounds of sex. And this was less than 100 years ago.

Let’s fast forward. In the 1950s, after World War II, a large population of immigrants arrived at the UK from the Caribbean. These predominantly black people faced significant amounts of racism in the UK, which was partially addressed with the Race Relations Act of 1965. However, this only forbade discriminatory acts in public, and explicitly excluded shops and private renting. Black people were frequently refused by landlords, and when they were accepted they were often charged up to double the rent for the same conditions. The situation wasn’t solved until three years later, where it was made illegal to refuse housing on the grounds of colour or race. This means that, 50 years ago, it was perfectly legal to discriminate someone because of their race.

Around that time, in 1952, Alan Turing, father of modern computing, was convicted as per the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885 for having sexual relations with another man. As part of his conviction, Turing lost his job with the British Intelligence and had to undergo a hormonal treatment that heavily affected his health and that ultimately led him to suicide two years later. But Alan Turing’s case is just a well-known example of what happened to many other people until homosexuality was decriminalised as part of the Sexual Offences Act of 1967. This means that, 50 years ago, people were legally discriminated according to their sexual orientation.

What all this comes to show is how much people’s perceptions, and the legal representation of such perceptions, can change over time. These are examples of forms discrimination that 50 or 100 years ago were perfectly valid and legal, but that today we would consider barbaric. Which begs an interesting question: what kind of discrimination is perfectly legal today but will be considered barbaric in 50 or 100 years from now?

This is where we get into speculative territory. My personal opinion is that one form of discrimination that is considered legal today but that won’t be in the future is discrimination by country of birth. Pretty much every country in the world has a form of legal discrimination by country of birth, mostly reflected in terms of visas. If you are a national (i.e., if you were born in that country), then you have access to all sorts of rights, including the right to live and work in that country permanently. Now, if you’re a foreigner, then your rights will depend on the country you were born in and the particular deals and treaties that the two countries have signed. I believe that, in the future, your rights to work and live in a country will be fully determined by your merits and crimes, your virtues and faults, and not by something as arbitrary as the territory where your mother happened to be when she delivered you into this world.

And that’s what I liked about Europe. After a history of centuries tearing each other apart, the different nations of Europe decided to create the European Union and to lead the way into abolishing discrimination by country of birth. In the EU of the 28, everybody has the right to freely move, live and work wherever he or she pleases, no restrictions. Now, abolishing discriminations like this, so embedded in society, takes time, which is why countries usually progress very slowly on this matter. And I understand that. Boy, sometimes countries don’t progress at all because of the fierce internal opposition, and even that I can understand. But what I don’t understand is when countries make a move forwards and then, after some years, change their mind and make a move backwards. And that’s exactly what the UK has just done.

The triumph of Brexit is the triumph of intolerance, fear and rejection. You just have to take a look at who is celebrating: Marine Le Pen, leader of the French National Front; Beatrix von Storch, from Alternative for Germany; Geert Wilders, leader of the populist Party for Freedom in the Netherlands… In summary, all the far-right groups in Europe are rejoicing on the result. Allow me to stress that point: the far-right, close-to-fascism groups of Europe are celebrating this result. Now, let that sink in for a minute.

The European Union has its faults, there’s no denying that. But despite those faults there’s also no denying that the EU is leading the way towards increased personal freedom and rights. The result of this referendum is not just a step in the wrong direction, it’s also encouragement for other countries to do the same. This simple act threatens freedom for people not just in the UK, not just in Europe, but all over the world. And this is why our political leaders must now be bold enough to see this as the terrible mistake that it is, and fix it.

InfoQ: New JSON Binding Library Is Ready for Public Review

2016-06-21T08:51:00.000+01:00

I recently published this article on InfoQ, summarised as:

JSON-B, the JSON binding library expected to be added to Java EE 8, has been released for public review. The library builds on top of JSON Processing (not to be confused with JSONP or JSON-with-padding), and intends to provide a standard alternative to popular libraries such as Jackson or Gson. The JSR is only targeting Java EE though, meaning users of Java SE will still need to make use of third party libraries.

Check the full article for more details.