Is Swing still relevant in 2026? Absolutely!

The Swing UI toolkit—powered by Java2D and deeply integrated with AWT—remains a core part of the JDK. Far from being legacy, the JDK client libraries continue to evolve, with active updates and enhancements to support modern desktop environments.

In this session, we explore how Swing fits into today’s Java ecosystem, how it works seamlessly alongside JavaFX, and why it can still outperform web-based approaches for certain desktop applications.

You’ll learn when it makes sense to use Swing, how to approach modern desktop deployment, and get a look at some of the latest improvements currently in progress.

Make sure to check the JavaOne 2026 playlist.