Oracle's licensing model change for Java, introducing a subscription model, has raised concerns about the future of Java as a free and open platform.
Oracle's legal battles, such as the lawsuit against Google over the use of Java APIs in Android, have created a hostile environment and discouraged innovation.
The Java community has responded by developing open alternatives like Amazon Corretto and Eclipse Temurin, and migrating Java EE to the Eclipse Foundation as Jakarta EE.
Java's future is uncertain due to corporate distrust, talent drain, and incompatibility with cloud-native environments, but its existing codebase ensures it won't disappear overnight.