What are some common challenges organizations face during migration from Java EE to Jakarta EE?

The migration from Java EE to Jakarta EE presents organizations with a complex set of challenges that span technical, organizational, and strategic domains. Each challenge requires careful consideration and specific mitigation strategies to ensure a successful transition.

Technical Challenges

1. Package Namespace Migration – Challenge Background: The fundamental shift from javax.* to jakarta.* affects every component of the application, requiring systematic updates to thousands of lines of code. This change impacts not just Java files but also configuration files, XML descriptors, and build scripts 0:4.

• Real-World Example: Consider a typical enterprise application using Java Servlets. Before migration, code references javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet. After migration, this becomes jakarta.servlet.http.HttpServlet. This seemingly simple change must be applied consistently across the entire codebase while maintaining backward compatibility during the transition period 0:4.
• Mitigation Strategy: Organizations can leverage automated tools like Eclipse Transformer, which scans codebases and performs systematic namespace updates. For example, IBM used similar automated tools during their migration, significantly reducing manual effort and minimizing errors 0:12.

1. Dependency Management – Challenge Background: Modern enterprise applications typically depend on dozens of third-party libraries and frameworks. Each dependency must be compatible with Jakarta EE, requiring careful evaluation and potential upgrades. This challenge is particularly acute for organizations maintaining complex application ecosystems 0:9.

• Real-World Example: Consider a typical enterprise application stack:

This simple-looking change must be applied consistently across hundreds of dependencies while ensuring compatibility between updated and legacy components 0:9.

• Mitigation Strategy: Organizations should maintain parallel development branches during migration, allowing teams to gradually update dependencies while keeping the mainline stable. Red Hat successfully employed this approach during their migration, enabling continuous delivery while managing the transition 0:12.

1. Infrastructure Adaptation – Challenge Background: The migration affects not just application code but entire infrastructure stacks. Application servers, databases, middleware, and deployment scripts require updates or modifications to support Jakarta EE 0:10.

• Real-World Example: VM.PL faced this challenge during their warehouse management system migration. They needed to integrate with existing legacy solutions while adapting to new infrastructure requirements. Their successful approach involved gradual component upgrades and thorough testing of integration points 0:12.
• Mitigation Strategy: Organizations should conduct comprehensive infrastructure assessments before beginning migration. This includes evaluating server compatibility, updating deployment scripts, and testing integration points thoroughly 0:10.

Organizational Challenges

1. Resource Allocation – Challenge Background: Migration requires significant resources while maintaining ongoing operations. Teams must balance regular development tasks with migration efforts, often leading to temporary capacity constraints 2:3.

• Real-World Example: During IBM’s migration, they allocated dedicated teams for migration tasks while maintaining separate teams for regular development. This approach helped manage workload distribution effectively 0:12.
• Mitigation Strategy: Organizations should adopt phased migration approaches, focusing on critical components first while maintaining business continuity. Regular progress monitoring and resource reallocation help manage capacity challenges 2:3.

1. Team Readiness – Challenge Background: Developers need to adapt to new APIs, frameworks, and development paradigms. This requires significant investment in training and knowledge transfer 2:3.

• Real-World Example: Red Hat invested heavily in developer training programs during their migration. They created internal knowledge-sharing sessions and documentation repositories to accelerate team adaptation 0:12.
• Mitigation Strategy: Organizations should establish mentorship programs and provide structured training paths. Creating centralized knowledge bases and encouraging peer-to-peer learning helps distribute expertise across teams 2:3.

1. Change Management – Challenge Background: Stakeholders across the organization need clear communication about migration impacts, timelines, and benefits. Resistance to change can slow adoption if not properly managed 2:3.

• Real-World Example: During VM.PL’s logistics industry client migration, they implemented regular stakeholder meetings and transparent progress reporting. This helped maintain alignment across departments and manage expectations 0:12.
• Mitigation Strategy: Organizations should establish clear communication channels and feedback loops. Regular status updates and success demonstrations help build confidence in the migration process 2:3.

Strategic Challenges

1. Architecture Decisions – Challenge Background: Organizations must decide whether to maintain monolithic architectures or transition to microservices. This decision impacts long-term scalability and maintenance costs 2:8.

• Real-World Example: IBM chose a hybrid approach during their migration, maintaining core applications as monoliths while exposing new features as microservices. This balanced immediate needs with future flexibility 0:12.
• Mitigation Strategy: Organizations should conduct thorough architectural assessments before making strategic decisions. Creating proof-of-concept projects helps validate architectural choices without risking production systems 2:8.

1. Timing Considerations – Challenge Background: Migration timing affects business operations, requiring careful coordination with business cycles and critical periods 0:14.

• Real-World Example: Red Hat planned their migration around major release cycles, avoiding critical business periods and ensuring minimal disruption to operations 0:12.
• Mitigation Strategy: Organizations should create detailed migration roadmaps aligned with business cycles. Regular progress reviews help adjust timelines based on emerging challenges and changing business priorities 0:14.

While these challenges are significant, organizations that approach migration systematically can successfully navigate them. As noted by Mike Milinkovich, executive director of the Eclipse Foundation, Jakarta EE provides both immediate benefits and long-term advantages for businesses and developers alike 0:14. Success requires careful planning, adequate resources, and a structured approach to addressing each challenge domain.