Oracle Corp. will “more fully open up” its Java Enterprise Edition middleware platform by moving it to the Eclipse open-source software foundation.

Java EE is a collection of technologies and application program interfaces for the Java platform designed to support “enterprise” applications, which are generally large-scale, distributed, transactional and highly available applications designed to support mission-critical business requirements.

Java EE, which was once tightly controlled by Oracle, has been developed in an open-source fashion for some time. However, Oracle Software Evangelist David Delabassee explained in a blog post, “Often the process is not seen as being agile, flexible or open enough, particularly when compared to other open source communities.”

So the decision to move control of Java EE’s development to the Eclipse Foundation is designed to remedy these problems. Oracle has also made the code for Java EE available on GitHub.

Interestingly, Oracle sought out the assistance of two other companies to fully open-source Java EE.

“First, we have reached out to IBM and Red Hat, the other largest contributors to the Java EE platform, to solicit their support for this new direction,” Delabassee said. “Oracle, IBM and Red Hat are collaborating on an ongoing basis to refine an approach that we can collectively support.”

The Eclipse Foundation seems to be a suitable home for Java EE, as it already houses many open-source projects based around the middleware.

In his blog post, Delabassee outlined Oracle’s plans for Java EE going forward, saying that the company plans to relicense Oracle-led Java technologies and related GlassFish technologies under Eclipse’s open-source licenses.

The effort will also see a new branding strategy defined for the platform, including a new name for Java EE. In addition, Oracle and Eclipse will work together to recruit more developers into the project as well as companies that are willing to sponsor platform technologies.

Delabassee said Oracle will continue to support existing Java EE licensees, including licensees moving to Java EE 8. The company also intends to continue supporting its existing WebLogic Server versions, as well as Java EE 8 in a future WebLogic Server version.”

In a second blog post, Red Hat Inc.’s senior director of product management, Rich Sharples, said the move was important given Java EE’s standing as an established technology that thousands of enterprises rely on to power business critical applications. He added that the decision to move Java EE to an open-source foundation has already energized the community around it, potentially speeding its evolution.

Image: Red Hat