What we’re about
Jozi JVM User Group (Jozi-JUG)
Welcome to the Jozi JVM User Group! This is a community for anyone passionate about Java Virtual Machine (JVM) languages and related technologies. Whether you're a beginner, a seasoned developer, or somewhere in between, we’d love to have you join us. Our group hosts virtual and physical meetups, creating spaces for learning, sharing, and connection.
For Recruiters
We kindly ask that recruiters, staffing professionals, and headhunters respect this space as a sanctuary for developers. While we appreciate the work you do, Jozi-JUG is exclusively for those who code and create with Java and JVM technologies.
For Developers
Here’s how you can get involved:
- Attend our Meetups: Join us to learn, share, and connect with fellow JVM enthusiasts.
- Speak at a Meetup: Volunteer to share your knowledge by contacting the committee.
- Write for the Community: Contribute articles to our online platform to help grow and enrich the group.
Our Goals
- Foster the growth of the JVM community.
- Share knowledge and experiences to uplift one another.
- Build critical technical skills to support our country’s development.
- Create lasting friendships among Java developers.
- Have fun while learning and collaborating!
Get in Touch
Have a talk idea or a topic you’d like us to cover? Submit your suggestions by emailing [sam@shayward.co.za](mailto:sam@shayward.co.za).
Join us and be part of a vibrant and supportive JVM community!
Upcoming events (2)
See all- Simpler Java build tooling with Object Oriented ProgrammingLink visible for attendees
We are back, and we have another great session lined up for you!
📅 Date: 26th August 2025
📡 Virtual: https://youtube.com/live/V03wKwcegxg
🕒 Timing:
10:00 AM (PT) | 5:00 PM (UTC) | 6:00 PM (BST): Live stream kicks off
10:10 AM (PT) | 5:10 PM (UTC) |6:10 PM (BST): Session by Haoyi Li
11:00 AM (PT) | 6:00 PM (UTC) |7:00 PM (BST): That’s a wrap, live stream ends
Simpler Java build tooling with Object Oriented Programming
The Java language is known to be performant, easy to use, and with great IDE support, but Java build tools like Maven or Gradle do not always live up to that reputation. This talk will explore why build tooling is fundamentally such a difficult domain to work in, and how common concepts from object-oriented programming have the potential to simplify the build tool experience. We will end with a demonstration of an experimental new Java build tool "Mill" that makes use of these ideas, proving out the idea that Java build tooling has the potential to be much faster, safer, and easier than it is today.
Speaker
Haoyi Li, Software Engineer
Li Haoyi graduated from MIT, has built infrastructure for high-growth companies like Dropbox and Databricks, and has been a major contributor to the open source community with over 10,000 stars on Github. Haoyi has deep experience in the JVM and has used it professionally to build cloud infrastructure, distributed backend systems, programming languages, high-performance web applications, and much more.
Host
Grace Robinson,
Grace is a Java Champion and Product Manager at IBM, working with open source, Java and Cloud technologies. Grace enjoys bringing a varied perspective to her projects and using her knowledge of biological systems (from her degree) to simplify complex software patterns and architectures. She is a regular presenter at international technology conferences and has authored a book on reactive systems. Grace also has a keen passion for encouraging more women into STEM and especially Technology careers.
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Join the Community!
If you haven't joined our Slack community yet, what are you waiting for? It's the perfect place to ask questions during our live sessions and connect with fellow Java enthusiasts from around the world.
Click here to join us: https://bit.ly/vJUG-Slack - GraalVM for JDK 25: New Features and Practical TipsLink visible for attendees
## Details
Ready to unlock the full power of GraalVM?
Whether you're already running blazing-fast Java apps with GraalVM or just Graal-curious, this session is for you.
Join us for a high-energy, deep-dive session with Alina Yurenko, Developer Advocate for GraalVM at Oracle, as she explores what’s new in GraalVM for JDK 25 and how to actually make the most of it.
📅 Date: 23rd Sep 2025
📡 Virtual: https://youtube.com/live/1P5P9gMLTTc
🕒 Timing:
10:00 AM (PT) | 5:00 PM (UTC) | 6:00 PM (BST): Live stream kicks off
10:10 AM (PT) | 5:10 PM (UTC) | 6:10 PM (BST): Session by Alina Yurenko
11:00 AM (PT) | 6:00 PM (UTC) | 7:00 PM (BST): That’s a wrap, live stream endsGraalVM for JDK 25: New Features and Practical Tips
GraalVM is now well recognised as the best way to run Java applications faster, with lower memory overhead, and great startup times. While many organisations have already adopted it, some might still wonder about the best strategies to use it in practice.
In this session, we'll go through strategies for optimising performance and builds, working with libraries and configuration, and deploying production-ready native applications.
We’ll also cover what’s new in GraalVM for JDK 25 (going live in September—stay tuned!) and take a look at some advanced and forward-looking projects, such as:
– ML-based profile inference
– Project Crema
– Native Image Layers
– New `-H:Preserve` modeSpeaker:
Alina Yurenko
Alina is a developer advocate for GraalVM at Oracle Labs, a research & development organisation at Oracle. Loves both programming and natural languages, compilers, and open source.Host:
Andres Almiray
Andres is a Java/Groovy developer and a Java Champion with more than 20 years of experience in software design and development. He has been involved in web and desktop application development since the early days of Java. Andres is a true believer in open source and has participated on popular projects like Groovy, Griffon, and DbUnit, as well as starting his own projects. Founding member of the Griffon framework and Hackergarten community event. Creator of JReleaser.
***Join the Community!
If you haven't joined the Slack community, what are you waiting for? It's the ultimate spot to throw in your questions during our live sessions and mingle with fellow Java enthusiasts from all around the world.
Simply click here to join us: https://bit.ly/vJUG-Slack
