Java has been powering enterprise applications for decades, but its role in modern cloud-native, containerized, and edge environments is evolving rapidly. According to George Gould, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Partner Alliances at Azul, the expectations for Java in today’s architectures are clear: “It’s never fast enough.”

As cloud environments grow more elastic and latency-sensitive, users expect applications to scale up or down instantly. “Customers expect containers to start instantly—and the applications inside them to start quicker,” Gould says. This places new demands on JVM startup performance and compiler efficiency, areas Azul is targeting through both open-source innovation and proprietary enhancements.

Azul’s approach isn’t limited to the cloud. Through Zulu for Redistribution, Azul provides Java runtimes embedded in a wide range of devices—automotive systems, routers, and network infrastructure. “We’re embedded in cars, infotainment systems, and routers. It’s always been about the dream that Java should be everywhere,” says Gould.

And that dream remains alive. While some vendors treat Java as a server-only platform, Azul is actively maintaining support across a broad spectrum of deployment models—from desktops to edge devices to massive cloud workloads.

But keeping Java relevant also means making it competitive with today’s high-performance platforms. Gould points to Azul’s ongoing work on compiler optimization and startup efficiency as critical enablers. These aren’t just performance improvements—they’re necessities for developers building in environments where startup time and responsiveness translate directly to user experience and business value.

Azul’s investment in keeping Java fast, portable, and secure ensures that it remains a viable choice—not just for maintaining legacy workloads but for building the next generation of services, whether they live on a hyperscaler or inside a car’s dashboard.