LJC - London Java Community

From Search to AI: How Retrieval Evolved

Thu, Sep 24 · 11:00 AM BST

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Online

Online

Search has come a long way. From exact matching and Boolean queries to semantic search, embeddings, RAG and agentic AI.

Join the London Java Community and Redis for a practical journey through the evolution of search and retrieval, led by Sam Agbede.

In this session, Sam will explore how each generation of search has tackled a different challenge, from traditional information retrieval through to the AI-powered systems we're building today.

We'll look at:

• How exact matching and Boolean search shaped information retrieval
• How TF-IDF and BM25 rank results across large document collections
• How embeddings and semantic search can find meaning beyond exact keywords
• How Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) uses retrieved context to support more grounded AI responses
• How AI agents combine search, memory, tools and verification
• How Redis 8 and Redis Search support full-text, vector and hybrid search for real-time applications
• Practical examples of retrieval and verification in mathematical research and agentic AI systems

Whether you're working with Java, building search applications, exploring RAG, or simply interested in how retrieval is evolving alongside AI, this session will give you a practical understanding of the technologies and ideas shaping modern search.

Sam Agbede is a technology professional with a focus on Java, AI and modern application development. Through his work and community involvement, Sam is passionate about exploring practical ways developers can use emerging technologies to build better real-world systems.

We hope you'll join us!
👉 Register now and save your place.

A huge thank you to Redis

We'd also like to say a huge thank you to our friends at Redis for their continued support of the London Java Community throughout 2026.

Redis has been a fantastic partner to the LJC this year, supporting our events and helping us continue to create valuable opportunities for our community to learn, connect and share knowledge.

We're incredibly grateful for their ongoing support and look forward to continuing to work together to bring more great technical content to the Java community.

LJC Meetup at Engine by Starling

Thu, Oct 1 · 6:00 PM BST

Engine by Starling, 199 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 3YD, London, GB

Please register on Eventbrite to join this event.

LJC Meet-ups is a series of events, aimed at giving all Community members an opportunity to present at an LJC event.

Join us on 1st October 2026 for a London Java Community meetup hosted at Engine by Starling.

Speakers:
Chris Davies, Staff Software Engineer, Engine by Starling

Title:
No Magic, Until It's Worth It: Improving Our Logs with MDC

Abstract:
Good logs should let you answer many questions. Relying on the raw message alone isn't enough. This is the story of how we tried to get there on a platform of 100+ microservices at Engine by Starling — and the "no magic" rule we ended up bending to do it.

Expect a tour through the trade offs of production logging: raw strings, structuring context with Java's MDC, preventing leaks, and why we broke our own rules and reached for a divisive mechanism - Aspect Oriented Programming.

Speaker bio:
Chris Davies is a Staff Software Engineer at Engine by Starling, working in the Payment Card domain to ensure Engine's platform can cope with new payment schemes and global regions. He also leads efforts on Engine's AI tooling, to help developers get the most out of it.

He's spent the better part of a decade in FinTech writing Java and JVM languages (with some TypeScript and Python along the way) and working with AWS serverless technologies. Outside of work, he enjoys attending conferences/meetups, and picking up the odd bit of teaching and technical reviewing when the opportunity arises.

Trisha Gee, Engineer, author, keynote speaker and developer champion

Title:
Shiny New Tools Won't Fix Your Problem

Abstract:
Generative AI can help us produce code faster than ever before, but faster code generation does not automatically translate into faster or safer delivery. In practice, AI acts as an amplifier: teams with strong engineering fundamentals improve, while teams with existing bottlenecks and weak software development practices feel those problems more acutely.

Writing code is cheaper. Testing, troubleshooting, building, deploying, understanding and changing it is not.

In this talk, we’ll look past the hype and focus on what actually drives productivity in an AI-accelerated world. We’ll explore why shiny new tools don’t fix broken systems, why optimising individual steps rarely improves end-to-end flow, and why software engineering fundamentals matter more — not less — when code is easy to generate.

We’ll also look at how observability and measurement help teams understand where time is really being spent, and why accelerating feedback is essential if AI is going to help rather than hurt.

You’ll leave with a clear understanding of:

• Which engineering practices consistently improve outcomes in an AI world and provide vital safety nets
• Why good design and readable code still matter
• What to measure to understand whether AI is really making your team more productive

This is not an anti-AI talk. It’s a reminder that the hard parts of software didn’t get easier, and that fundamentals determine whether AI makes us faster, or breaks us faster.

Speaker bio:
Trisha Gee is a Java Champion, author, speaker, and technology strategist with over 20 years of software engineering experience. She helps organisations make better decisions about technical products: what to build, who for, how developers will use it, and how to communicate its value.

Her career spans software engineering, developer advocacy, product strategy, developer experience, and technical leadership. She has a particular interest in the messy space where technology meets the real world: developer tools, open source, AI systems, and the practices that help engineering organisations build and operate software successfully at scale.

Known for making complex technical ideas understandable, Trisha has spent much of her career acting as a bridge between engineers, product teams, business leaders, and the wider developer community.

She is the co-author of Head First Java and author of Getting to Know IntelliJ IDEA, a regular presenter on the Modern Software Engineering YouTube channel, and one of the few recipients of the Java Community Lifetime Achievement Award.

Please register on Eventbrite to join this event.

LJC Roundtable: The JCP, Java Community & The Future of Java

Mon, Oct 5 · 6:00 PM BST

The Marquis Cornwallis, 31 Marchmont St, Greater, London WC1N 1AP, UK, London, GB

Please register on eventbrite to join this event.

Join the London Java Community for an evening of conversation, collaboration and community at The Marquis Cornwallis in Bloomsbury, London, as we bring Java developers and community members together for our latest LJC Roundtable.

We’re delighted to be hosting this event with the support of our new LJC partners, Vonage. We’re excited to welcome Vonage to the LJC community and look forward to working together to create more opportunities for the Java community to connect, share knowledge and shape the future of the ecosystem.

This informal, discussion-led evening is an opportunity to share ideas, explore the topics shaping the Java ecosystem and hear directly from leaders helping to influence the future of Java.

Special Guest Speaker: Heather VanCura

We’re delighted to welcome Heather VanCura, Vice President at Oracle and Chairperson of the Java Community Process (JCP), who will open the evening with a short talk about the JCP and the wider Java Community — providing inspiration and context for our roundtable discussions.

Heather will also explore some of the key JCP working groups and areas of community collaboration, including:

• Java in Education – supporting the next generation of Java developers and exploring how Java can continue to play a role in education.
• The Java Ecosystem – collaboration across the community and the wider ecosystem that keeps Java evolving.
• Java & AI – exploring the opportunities, challenges and community conversations around Java and the rapidly developing world of AI.

There will be plenty of time to dive deeper into these topics, share your own experiences and discuss where the Java community should focus next.

About Heather VanCura
Heather VanCura is a seasoned global business executive with more than 20 years of experience driving brand and shareholder value. She is Senior Director and Chairperson of the Java Community Process (JCP), where she leads collaboration among major technology companies including Amazon, Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft and others on Java standards.

At Oracle, Heather also heads the MySQL Community and Developer Relations team. An international keynote speaker, she has presented across six continents and in more than 50 countries.

Beyond her corporate roles, Heather advises on digital transformation, consults on virtual events, serves as an Expert in Residence at Rippleworks, and mentors technical leaders through initiatives including Andela, TechBridge and Women Who Code.

What to Expect
This is a roundtable, not a traditional conference talk. Heather’s introduction will provide some thought-provoking ideas and context before we open up the discussion to the community.

Come along to:

• Hear from Heather about the JCP and the future of Java
• Learn more about current JCP working groups and initiatives
• Share your perspectives on Java, AI and the wider ecosystem
• Exchange ideas and experiences with fellow Java professionals
• Take part in open, community-led discussions
• Network with the LJC community over drinks and food

Event Host: Steve Poole, Developer Advocate & Community Director, London Java Community

Speaker: Heather VanCura, Vice President at Oracle & Chairperson of the JCP

Date: Monday 5th October
Time: 6:00pm–9:00pm
Venue: The Marquis Cornwallis
Address: 31 Marchmont Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1N 1AP

Whether you’re deeply involved in the Java Community Process or simply interested in where Java is heading, this is a great opportunity to get involved, ask questions and help shape the conversation.

Come along, bring your ideas and be part of the discussion.

Please register on eventbrite to join this event.

LJC Winter Unconference 2026

Fri, Dec 4 · 9:00 AM GMT

IBM Innovation Studio Floor 5, 20 York Road London SE1 7ND United Kingdom, London, GB

Please register on Eventbrite to join this event.

The LJC is delighted to announce our 21st Unconference!
Join us for a full day of discussions, knowledge sharing, learning, and networking with other developers in the industry.

There will be an opening keynote session followed by breakout discussion groups on the topics which are important to you. Catering is of course included, with a steady stream of coffee as well as breakfast on arrival, lunch and even afternoon tea.

What is an Unconference?
An unconference is a loosely structured, participant-driven meeting. You decide what you want to talk and hear about and which topics you want to discuss. It starts with an empty schedule - no topics are mandated and no separations are made between speakers and the audience. All participants work out a schedule by suggesting, planning, holding, and evaluating sessions, collaboratively. Above all else, it's great fun, whether you want to learn or share it's a supportive and safe space to do it in.

This is an in-person event, kindly hosted by IBM.
Thank you to our sponsors Hazelcast, Redis, Capital One, and Recworks.