Java EE was introduced back in 2006; the first version of Java EE was Java EE 5. Java EE replaced J2EE; the last version of J2EE was J2EE 1.4, released back in 2003. Even though J2EE can be considered a dead technology, replaced by Java EE over 11 years ago, the term J2EE refuses to die. Many individuals to this day still refer to Java EE as J2EE; many companies advertise on their websites and job boards that they are looking for "J2EE developers", seemingly unaware that they are referring to a technology that has been dead for several years. The correct term is and has been for a long time, Java EE.

Additionally, the term J2EE has become a "catch-all" term for any server-side Java technology; frequently Spring applications are referred to as J2EE applications. Spring is not, and has never been, J2EE; as a matter of fact, Spring was created by Rod Johnson as an alternative to J2EE back in 2002. Just like with Java EE, Spring applications are frequently erroneously referred to as J2EE applications.