News

Java Toolmaker ZeroTurnaround Acquired by Rogue Wave

• By John K. Waters
• November 29, 2017

Java toolmaker ZeroTurnaround has been acquired by Rogue Wave Software, the two companies announced today. Louisville, Colo.-based Rogue Wave will be adding ZeroTurnaround's "visionary" lineup of Java tools to its list of cross-platform software development tools, components and platforms.

"Today's announcement builds on our commitment to improving our developer toolset, and to our core mission of simplifying development complexity, improving application quality, and shortening cycle times," said Rogue Wave CEO Brian Pierce, in a statement. "ZeroTurnaround is unparalleled in the ability to improve Java development, and make developers more productive and happier."

Tartu, Estonia-based ZeroTurnaround is probably best known for its JRebel plugin, which integrates with the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) with app servers on the class loader level, allowing developers to make on-the-fly code changes in Java class files. The company also makes the XRebel interactive Java profiler and XRebel Hub, an APM solution that provides a final quality check before the production phase.

The company's independent research arm, RebelLabs, publishes a respected annual Developer Productivity Report, which is based on a survey of more than 2,000 Java developers.

ZeroTurnaround has long been focused on decreasing developer pain and increasing developer speed, company founder and CEO Jevgeni Kabanov told ADTmag in an earlier interview. "When developers can focus on their code and don't worry about their tooling, there is a noticeable increase in team velocity," he said. "Developers can finish their sprints on time, won't have to work overtime, and can deliver all of their features and fixes."

In its announcement of the acquisition, Rogue Wave emphasized the ability of ZeroTurnaround's tools to simplify and speed development. "Speeding development cycles and improving developer productivity underpins enterprise innovation and time-to-market," the company said. "And, in a competitive job market, the need to keep developers energized and happy has never been more important."

The company seemed to buttress its decision by including an oft-quoted statement by RedMonk analyst James Governor about the "vibrant" Java development landscape: "Java shows strong and sustained market momentum as the language and platform continue to evolve and find new niches," Governor said. "Tools and frameworks driving velocity and quality in the age of CI/CD will continue to grow and win share."

Simon Maple, ZeroTurnaround's director of developer relations and co-leader of the London Java Community, announced the acquisition on Twitter and wondered, "Now that I work for Rogue Wave, am I a Roguer or a Waver."