Looking at Music, an experiment with Kotlin, JavaFX, MIDI, and Virtual Threads by Vik Delporte

Virtual threads in Java 21 enable lightweight concurrent tasks without overwhelming system resources, ideal for handling many MIDI events and I/O operations

MelodyMatrix demonstrates Java/JavaFX’s capabilities for desktop applications by creating music visualizations and MIDI event processing with a modern, responsive UI

The MIDI standard is stable and well-integrated into Java, providing reliable communication with musical instruments through simple 3-byte messages

JavaFX remains a viable alternative to Electron for desktop applications, offering better performance and resource usage while maintaining cross-platform compatibility

Kotlin integration with Java projects provides additional features and syntax improvements while maintaining interoperability with Java libraries

Using proven, stable technologies (JVM, Java) for core functionality while experimenting with newer features (virtual threads) helps balance innovation and reliability

JavaFX applications can be packaged and deployed as native installers using tools like JDeploy, making distribution and updates straightforward

Open source collaboration and modular architecture enable community contributions while keeping core business logic private

Real-time visualization and processing of MIDI events demonstrate Java’s capability to handle time-sensitive operations efficiently

Modern Java development benefits from six-month release cycles, bringing regular improvements while maintaining backwards compatibility