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Jakarta EE 11 Platform Released with New Data Specification and Java 21 Support

• By John K. Waters
• June 30, 2025

The Eclipse Foundation's Jakarta EE Working Group has released Jakarta EE 11, the latest version of its enterprise Java platform, marking a significant step in modernizing enterprise Java development for cloud-native applications.

The release introduces the Jakarta Data specification, updates testing frameworks, and aligns with Java 21, the latest long-term support version of Java. The platform now supports Java 17 or higher and includes concurrency enhancements for Java 21, including Virtual Threads support for improved scalability.

Jakarta EE is an open-source enterprise Java platform that provides a standardized set of APIs and specifications for building large-scale, distributed applications. Originally derived from Oracle's Java EE, Jakarta EE is now developed under the Eclipse Foundation's governance model, allowing for community-driven innovation while maintaining enterprise-grade stability and compatibility.

The new Jakarta Data specification aims to simplify database interactions through built-in repository types including BasicRepository for basic entity operations and CrudRepository for standard create, read, update, and delete functions. The specification also supports both offset and cursor-based pagination along with a streamlined query language for repository methods.

"The renaissance of enterprise Java continues," said Mike Milinkovich, executive director for the Eclipse Foundation, in a statement. "Jakarta EE 11 introduces meaningful improvements in performance, testing, and productivity. The combination of innovation along with API stability and compatibility is what enterprise developers are looking for."

The platform has modernized its Test Compatibility Kit (TCK) framework by migrating from Apache Ant and Java Test Harness to JUnit 5 and Apache Maven. This change reduces complexity and lowers barriers for adding new tests as the platform evolves.

Several implementations have already achieved Jakarta EE 11 certification, including Eclipse GlassFish for the Web Profile and Open Liberty, WildFly, Fujitsu Software Enterprise Application Platform, and Payara Server Community for the Core Profile.

"The release of Jakarta EE 11 continues its evolution as the platform for cloud native Java innovation," said Ian Robinson, CTO of IBM App Runtimes, in a statement. "The addition of Jakarta Data, as a new specification that simplifies data access, combined with the adoption of Java Virtual Thread in Jakarta Concurrency, and support for Java 17 and 21, makes this release significant."

Microsoft played a leading role in the release coordination. "Microsoft is proud to have played a pivotal role in the successful release of Jakarta EE 11," said Scott Hunter, Microsoft VP of Product, Azure Developer Experience. "This new iteration brings forth the eagerly awaited Jakarta Data specification, updates critical specifications such as Persistence, and prunes legacy specifications to modernize enterprise Java."

The platform has deprecated Managed Beans to simplify the programming model while enhancing Contexts and Dependency Injection (CDI) support. It also expands Java Records integration to reduce boilerplate code and removes Java SE SecurityManager references in alignment with Java Enhancement Proposal 411.

Jakarta EE 11 builds on Core Profile and Web Profile versions released in December 2024 and March 2025, respectively. The platform is developed by a working group hosted by the Eclipse Foundation, one of the world's largest open-source software foundations.

For more information about Jakarta EE, visit https://jakarta.ee/connect/. Organizations interested in joining the Jakarta EE Working Group can learn about membership benefits at https://jakarta.ee/membership/.