In this Kongcast episode, Josh Long, a Spring Developer Advocate at VMware, discusses the evolution and impact of the Spring framework on Java application development, emphasizing the role of Spring Boot in the microservices boom around 2014/2015. He explains how Spring facilitated a shift from monolithic to more modular, agile architectures, with tools like Spring Boot and Spring Native contributing to this transformation. The conversation touches on the integration of Spring with modern technologies like Kubernetes and GraalVM, highlighting how these advancements allow for faster, more efficient application deployment and execution. Long also elaborates on the innovations within Spring Native, which leverage GraalVM to compile Java applications into native binaries, significantly reducing startup times and resource consumption while maintaining Java's dynamic capabilities. The episode underscores Spring's ongoing adaptability and influence in the software development landscape, particularly in cloud and serverless environments.