Explore Java's journey towards strong encapsulation in this 35-minute podcast episode featuring Alan Bateman. Dive into the significance of JEP 403 in Java 17, which strongly encapsulates JDK internals, continuing the process that began with Java 9's modularization. Learn about the importance of strong encapsulation, its historical context, potential impacts on current applications, and steps to prepare for these changes. Gain insights into hard problems, illegal reflective access, JDK 16 strong encapsulation, ecosystem progress, critical internal APIs, Project Panama, and JEPs. Discover how encapsulation affects larger projects and get a glimpse into Alan's day-to-day work. Access additional resources, including relevant JEPs, documentation, and related projects, to deepen your understanding of Java's evolution and security enhancements.