Triangle Java Users Group (TriJUG)

We have a JetBrains single product license that we will be raffling off after the presentation! To win, you must be present during the drawing at the end of the meetup.

Abstract
Apache Grails has reached a major milestone with its graduation to a Top-Level Project at The Apache Software Foundation, culminating in the release of Grails 7.0.0 after 18 months of dedicated community effort. This presentation introduces Apache Grails 7, showcasing its evolution as a powerful, Apache Groovy-based web application framework built on Spring Boot for rapid development through convention-over-configuration and DRY principles. We'll delve into key major changes, including significant dependency upgrades to Java 17+, Groovy 4, Spring Boot 3.5, Spring Framework 6.2, and Jakarta EE 10; robust testing enhancements with containerized browser testing via Testcontainers and the Geb plugin; optional Micronaut integration; SBOMs; reproducible builds and artifacts; a mono-repo approach that consolidates core projects for faster development and contributions; Gradle build modernization for improved reproducibility and CI/CD automation; and ongoing optimizations for better performance, cleaner code, and enhanced security. Attendees will learn how these updates empower streamlined full-stack workflows, easier learning for developers of all levels, enterprise-grade stability, and greater transparency in software supply chains. Whether you're new to Grails or an experienced user, this session will demonstrate how Grails 7 boosts developer productivity in modern web applications.

Speaker Bio
James Fredley is the Vice President and Chair of the Apache Grails Project Management Committee at The Apache Software Foundation and the recipient of the 2025 Grails Rock Star award for his leadership and stewardship. He is a serial technology entrepreneur, executive, volunteer, and investor with over 25 years of experience in software engineering, digital marketing, and startup growth. James helped lead the migration of Grails to the ASF, contributing thousands of volunteer hours to modernize the framework. Passionate about fostering collaborative open-source ecosystems and education, he serves on the Computer Science Department Executive Board at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he is also an alumnus. A dedicated family man based in Raleigh, North Carolina, he lives with his wife and has four sons

Schedule:
5:30 - Meet & Eat
6:00 - Announcements
6:05 - Presentation
7:15 - JetBrains Product Raffle