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Tom Cools

@tomcools.be
1.4K followers 425 following 586 posts

DevRel @Timefold | Conference (Keynote) Speaker 🗣️ | #Java Champion | @BeJUG Organizer | Kind of a weird guy 😅

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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 25/09/2026
I posted about Jev a couple of days ago, and it got me thinking where this new AI model fits in. In this world of overloaded AI terminology, calling it a "model" has had the side-effect that people immediately compare it to GenAI models. But that should be clarified. timefold.ai/blog/system-...
timefold.ai
The AI spectrum, revisited: where Jev fits in the AI ecosystem. | Timefold
Jev, TypeSafe AI's System One Model, returns decisions instead of text. Where it sits in the AI spectrum and how it complements planning optimization with Timefold.
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 31/08/2026
One of my new favorite things is to ask Claude to add architecture validation tests using @archunit.bsky.social whenever we want to "codify" decisions. Actual executable deterministic validation = 😍 Works like a charm. Move beyond markdown and prayers, add some actual validation in there! #java
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Martin Fowler @martinfowler.com · 19/08/2026
NEW POST Jim Highsmith explains that effective writing from a practitioner is a style distinct from academic writing or thought-leadership content. martinfowler.com/articles/pra...
martinfowler.com
Practitioner Voice
I propose "Practitioner Voice" to label a writing style with important differences to academic writing and thought-leadership
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Johan Vos @johanvos.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Looking for input/feedback from Java developers on 2 different topics: 1. Is there interest in a JavaFX workshop/conference/training in Belgium? 2. Is there interest in a gathering with fellow Java developers working on scientific topics (writing java code, not only using 3th party code) #java
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Devoxx Belgium @devoxx.com · 13/07/2026
Anybody interested in submitting an "Agentic Loops / Workflows" Deep Dive or Conference session? 🔂 dvbe26.cfp.dev
dvbe26.cfp.dev
Call For Papers
The Call for Papers web app which allows authenticated users to submit talks and the program committee to review and rate them.
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IntelliJ IDEA, a JetBrains IDE @intellijidea.com · 08/07/2026
The new edition of Java Annotated Monthly is live! 😎 This month, we are featuring content from @tomcools.be, plus a fresh roundup of the best reads across Java, Kotlin, AI, and other tech news👇 jb.gg/sf2lou
jb.gg
Java Annotated Monthly – July 2026  - The JetBrains Blog
Welcome back to another edition of Java Annotated Monthly! As always, we've rounded up the best reads from across the ecosystem so you don't have to go hunting yourself. This month's lineup spans t
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 01/07/2026
Never thought I'd be one of those people holding my macbook open while boarding an airplane but here we are. Bye Lisbon, till next time! I make my escape to Belgian weather! 😅
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 25/06/2026
Alright @bejug.bsky.social #java user group friends. We normally take a break during the summer, but I think we can have a nice BBQ, drinks and Java documentary watching somewhere... who's in?! (other #jugs feel free to steal the idea 😊) www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jrK...
youtube.com
Write Once, Run Forever: The Java Story | Official Trailer | Full Film Coming July 17th
YouTube video by CultRepo
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 17/06/2026
Ok, so @pi.dev is pretty cool. It's great to be able to write deterministic code to steer my agents. Feels much smoother than the bash-y hooks and such from others. Also custom tool calls, easy peasy. I guess I know what my next conference talk is going to be about. 😅
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 15/06/2026
On my way to work, driving behind a truck with the following text on tailgate/doors. "We can see you are behind us... thank you for your support!" 😅 You're...welcome?
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Kim Fletcher @kimfletcher.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
When looking for tech events, hacks, & meetups, where do you go to find them? As the organiser of @virtualjug.bsky.social & launching a new dev event, I want to make sure we show up in the spaces you actually use. Let me know in the comments 👇
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 10/06/2026
The last Belgian #Java User Group before the summer stop is in the books! Thank you again to @oniryx.be for hosting us every year in June since we started! A big massive thank you to @glycin.bsky.social and @ted.dev for presenting #spring and #eventsourcing See you all after summer! ☀️
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 09/06/2026
First thing my kid says to me when he woke up: "Daddy, that's Duke on your tshirt" Proud dad moment. 😅 #java We have a @bejug.bsky.social event today, so was already wearing this.
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 08/06/2026
Life is a matter of perspective. Sometimes all you need to do is take a few steps to the side and what looked like "stop believing" turns out to say "never stop believing." ✨ Thank you Wintercircus Ghent (our Timefold homebase) for such a clear example that where you stand changes what you see. 🎪 😅
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Belgian Java User Group @bejug.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
BeJUG is back and we're coming to Ghent! 🇧🇪☕ Join us for two great talks: 🗄️ Event Sourcing with @hanneslowette.net 🎙️ The story behind JCast with Maarten Casteels Hosted by www.inetum.com/be/nl.html. Many thanks for hosting us again! 👉 RSVP (free): www.meetup.com/belgian-java... #Java #BeJUG
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 04/05/2026
International adapters! Thanks for the reminder @devoxx.uk 😂
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 04/05/2026
Hi folks! If you are @devoxx.uk this week, i'd love to meet you there! Come to my session on "dealing with change" on wednesday, or just tap me on the shoulder for a nice conversation... i am bringing belgian! 🍫
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Trisha Gee @trishagee.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Job hunting as a developer is a nightmare, right? Tell me your stories of navigating the recruitment process as a dev looking for a job, and if you've been in the game for a while, tell me how it's changed lately (I want to use these stories on the Modern Software Engineering channel)
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 24/04/2026
Last Wednesday, we released the newest version of Timefold Solver, 2.0. It's a major version, which can look a bit scary. Upgraded 15 projects... time: under 10 minutes. 😊 Read about that experience here: timefold.ai/blog/timefol... Big thanks to Moderne for their work on #OpenRewrite. 😊
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Carly Richmond @carlyrichmond.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
I know first hand that it's scary to stand up and speak at a conference for the first time. That's exactly why we given them support to take to the stage at @devoxx.uk. If you're attending do come along and support these aspiring speakers!
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Trisha Gee @trishagee.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Looking for work. Will DevRel for coffee or wine 😁
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 07/04/2026
A project I've wanted to build for a while, mainly to remind myself to submit talks to CFPs. - Get the data from javaconferences.org - Create a video with the data using Remotion Could be less obnoxious, but that's for the next iteration. 😇 #java #conferences
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 03/04/2026
Just a few more weeks until @devoxx.uk , where I will be presenting probably the most personal and important talk I have ever created, for the first time in the UK. Because yes, even Java Champions struggle with change. Give it a <3 on the companion app to not miss it: m.devoxx.com/events/devox...
m.devoxx.com
Braving the Change: recalibrating to new realities - Devoxx UK
By Tom Cools. ‘Change is the only constant in our industry’… but they never told us it would go this fast. With the recent evolutions in AI, ‘change’ has shifted from a ‘constant’ to something better ...
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Ronald Dehuysser @rdehuyss.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
When doing an employee schedule roster for 30 people, you end up with more possible combinations than atoms in the universe. Excellent talk by @tomcools.be at #VDC26!
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Loïc Magnette @lomagnette.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
🚀 2026 starts strong for @bejug.bsky.social! We’re back in Kortrijk with an amazing guest @agoncal.bsky.social Big thanks to Sweet Mustard for welcoming us in their brand-new offices 🍕 Food is on us 👉 Join the fun www.meetup.com/belgian-java...
meetup.com
BeJUG at Kortrijk: Build an AI-Infused Chat Bot with LangChain4j, Wed, Jan 21, 2026, 6:00 PM | Meetup
For the first BeJUG of 2026, we're heading back to Kortrijk! **Antonio Goncalves** will show us how to add intelligent conversational AI in your Java application! This pres
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Nataliia Dziubenko @nataliiadziubenko.com · 29/11/2025
Thanks @tomcools.be for reminding me about my comics 😃 Here's one about modern engineer's problems. #devhumor #softwareengineering #ai
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Geoffrey De Smet @geoffreydesmet.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
How fast is Java 25? timefold.ai/blog/how-fas... by @tomcools.be
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Voxxed Days Amsterdam @amsterdam.voxxeddays.com · 23/10/2025
Hey Belgian Java devs, Amsterdam is calling! ☎️ Voxxed Days Amsterdam, April 1–2, 2026 Now with BeJUG as an ambassador, making it your Java community event too! 2 days of code, talks & networking. Don’t miss it → amsterdam.voxxeddays.com#ticket Give BeJUG a follow: @bejug.bsky.social #community
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 13/10/2025
One of the coolest things about our @bejug.bsky.social community? Everyone can participate and help out. Check out this amazing banner @lomagnette.bsky.social made!
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 10/10/2025
A @kevlin.bsky.social during my informal #speakertour after the @devoxx.com conference! Seen on the Meir shopping street. Spotted by @lomagnette.bsky.social, picture by @hanneslowette.net. 😊
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 06/10/2025
First talk of my #devoxx, @mydeveloperplanet.com talking about...what else... AI agents.
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 05/10/2025
#Devoxx talk trial run in front of a "live" audience. 😅 If you are at the conference, do say hello when you see me. 😊
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 21/09/2025
Been reviewing submissions for @jfokus.se and while I've seen a lot of great talks pass by, I can't shake the feeling there are some viewpoints missing. 😉 So don't hold back your quirky, silly, weird or serious ideas for talks and submit them anyway! sessionize.com/jfokus-2026.
sessionize.com
Jfokus 2026: Call for Speakers
Jfokus is a general topics conference for a developer and tech audience. Jfokus conference, set to take place on February 2-4, 2026, at Stockholm Wate...
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 09/09/2025
# Meetup telling me interesting group in Belgium no longer has an organizer. Me:
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 01/09/2025
Not me FOMO submitting to #jfall on the very last day 🤣. If you haven't yet, you got a couple more hours to do so! It's a great conference!
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Belgian Bluesky Wins @belgianblueskywins.eurosky.social · 22/08/2025
Tom Cools - DevRel @Timefold | Conference (Keynote) Speaker 🗣️ | #Java Champion | @BeJUG Organizer @tomcools.be
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 18/08/2025
45 more minutes folks! 😅
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Ana-Maria Mihalceanu @ammbra1508.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Amazing news 💥!!! JavaOne returns in March 2026 ❣️ Checkout all its details and save the date 🎉!!!
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 17/07/2025
Books and Wine, lose track of time. 😊 #luddites #antwerp.
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Belgian Java User Group @bejug.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Time for our yearly stop at Oniryx 🤩. We got great food and drinks. Weather is epic and we got 2 cool talks lined up! 🤩 Let's Go!
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 19/06/2025
Companies use the word "revolution" a lot to hype up their services. "Revolution" also means (in physics): One revolution: one full turn/360 degrees . So when you see the word, ask yourself: "is this really something new, or is this just a short spin before going the same direction as before".
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Loïc Magnette @lomagnette.bsky.social · 17/06/2025
☀️ Great talks, tasty food, cold drinks, and an outdoor venue—what more could you want? Join us on Thursday, June 19 for the next @bejug.bsky.social event! We’re taking Java to the park for an evening of tech & chill. 🌳🍻 Spots are still available, grab yours now 👉 www.meetup.com/belgian-java...
meetup.com
IntelliJ as a game engine + Wrapping up the Spring Boot 3.x generation, Thu, Jun 19, 2025, 6:00 PM | Meetup
Let's keep up the #java vibes! This time we're heading to **Oniryx**, in Gembloux, a yearly stop around this time of year! Thanks for hosting us again! This time we have A
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Devoxx UK @devoxx.uk · 17/06/2025
Did you miss @tomcools.be‬ Devoxx UK talk "LLMs can't optimise schedules, but AI can!" Watch it now and discover Timefold, a Java-based AI solver that excels at complex scheduling. Session link - buff.ly/Oj040Ck
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Belgian Java User Group @bejug.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
Still plenty of space for the last meetup before our Summer break! 😊 Alex is a top rated speaker at conferences like Devoxx, so we are honored to have him with us! 🤩
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 05/06/2025
FYI, if you need to compare 2 objects in a #java test, do not manually compare all fields by calling the getters. Instead, do it with 1 line of AssertJ: medium.com/@lucascalebe...
medium.com
Simplify Your Java Tests with Recursive Comparison 🧪 🧼
In Java, writing tests often involves comparing objects to ensure they meet expected conditions. Typically, developers use assertions to…
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 05/06/2025
Happy #jspring to those who celebrate 😊 Unfortunately, I can't be there this year, but I know all of you will have a great time in Utrecht! @nljug.bsky.social #java
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Holly Cummins @hollycummins.com · 03/06/2025
"Code is not an asset—it's a liability. Every line must be maintained, debugged, secured, and eventually replaced. The real asset is the business capability that code enables. If AI makes writing code faster and cheaper, it's making it easier to create liability." alonso.network/the-recurrin...
alonso.network
The Recurring Cycle of 'Developer Replacement' Hype
AI isn't replacing developers, it's transforming them. Just as NoCode created specialists and cloud turned sysadmins into DevOps engineers, AI elevates engineers from code writers to system architects...
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Loïc Magnette @lomagnette.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
The #Java tour continues! Next stop: @oniryx.be (Gembloux) – thanks for having us again! 🇧🇪 🕹️ @glycin.bsky.social will show how he turned IntelliJ into a game engine! 🎤 1 quicky slot still open! Want in? 👉 github.com/BeJUG/bejug.... @bejug.bsky.social #BeJUG www.meetup.com/belgian-java...
meetup.com
IntelliJ as a game engine + 1 more, Thu, Jun 19, 2025, 6:00 PM | Meetup
Let's keep up the #java vibes! This time we're heading to **Oniryx**, in Gembloux, a yearly stop around this time of year! Thanks for hosting us again! This time we have A
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Tom Cools @tomcools.be · 02/06/2025
Here we go again! 🤩
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