Legacy to Modern: Future Proofing Java Applications

A legacy modernization project for a large-scale enterprise application to strengthen performance, security, and compliance. The initiative upgraded the Java stack from JDK 8 to the latest LTS versions (JDK 17/21) with optimized build and deployment pipelines. This transformation ensured long-term maintainability, reduced technical debt, and improved overall development efficiency.

Platform Developed

Overview

We successfully future-proofed a mission-critical DCM application by migrating it from end-of-life JDK 8 to modern JDK 17/21 and refactoring the codebase. This guaranteed enhanced security, compliance, and significant performance improvement by leveraging the latest JVM features.

Problem

The existing DCM application runs on JDK 8, posing significant security risks, compliance challenges, and limited compatibility with modern build systems and cloud platforms.
JVM inefficiencies inherent in JDK 8 hinder application scalability, affecting overall performance and long-term maintainability.

Solution

JDK 17 Migration: Upgraded the core application from JDK 8 to JDK 17, and eventually JDK 21, to address critical security, compliance, and performance challenges.
Codebase Refactoring: Identified and refactored deprecated APIs, removed outdated libraries, and resolved incompatibilities to align the codebase with the latest JDK standards.
Environment & Tooling Upgrade: Updated development and build environments to support JDK 17 and JDK 21, enabling integration with modern tools like Maven, Gradle, J-Unit, and Playwright.
Stability Assurance: Conducted thorough testing and validation to ensure seamless functionality and system stability post-migration, leveraging Spring Boot and Hibernate/JPA.

Key Business Outcomes

2x Faster Application Performance: Achieved significant runtime improvements by leveraging JDK 17 and JDK 21’s enhanced garbage collection and JVM features.
100% Security Alignment: Resolved known vulnerabilities and deprecated components, ensuring compliance with modern security standards.
40% Reduction in Technical Debt: Streamlined the codebase by removing outdated practices and aligning with current Java development conventions.

Technology

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