Project Valhalla wants to heal the rift in Java’s type system between classes and primitives by introducing value classes, which “code like a class, work like an int” and offer a flat and dense memory layout. Java’s epic refactor, as it has been dubbed, has been going on for 10 years but is now entering the home stretch. During Devoxx 2024, Java Language Architect Brian Goetz gave a complete update and explained the proposed solution: value classes, null-restricted types, beefed up definite assignment analysis, and strict initialization.

Recorded at Devoxx Belgium 2024.