The jChampions Conference has become one of the most renowned online conferences in the global Java ecosystem. Organized annually by the community of Java Champions, it brings together international experts who share their knowledge in high-quality, hands-on sessions. 2026 marks a special milestone for us: Richard Fichtner – CEO, Principal Software Architect, and Java Champion – will be speaking at the jChampions Conference for the first time.
His session will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 6:00 PM (CET) and focuses on a topic that many companies are currently grappling with: the modernization of long-standing Java applications.
XDEV Talk: Java Modernization – Breathe New Life into Your Codebase Without Breaking the Bank
Many organizations have relied on Java for decades — and with each evolutionary step, not only does the functionality grow, but so does technical debt. New language features, modern frameworks, security requirements, and today’s development practices make modernization unavoidable. But where do you begin without destabilizing the entire system or rewriting everything from scratch?
In his session, Richard presents a pragmatic approach to Java modernization that delivers maximum value with minimal disruption. Participants will gain concrete, immediately applicable strategies, including:
- Java upgrades with OpenRewrite: Automated refactoring, reduction of technical debt, and adoption of modern language features — efficient and reproducible.
- Migrating from Swing to Vaadin: Preserve proven business logic while modernizing the UI for the web.
- The human factor: Why successful modernization is about more than just technology — team leadership, motivation, and making modern tech appealing to both current and future developers.
Richard brings more than two decades of Java experience and shares practical insights from numerous modernization projects. His focus: future-proof, predictable, and cost-efficient modernization — without the dreaded full rewrite.
Free registration – sign up now!
The jChampions Conference is free to attend and takes place over four days (January 22, 23, 26 & 27, 2026), fully online — just register and join in. You can find the full program with all speakers at:
jchampionsconf.com
