Hi, I’m Stéphane.

I am a software engineer with a passion for the Java ecosystem, open source, and the communities that make them thrive.

For the past decade, I have been part of the Spring engineering team, working on the tools and frameworks that millions of developers use every day. Currently, I focus heavily on Spring Boot and the Spring Framework, trying to make the experience of building production-grade applications as smooth and intuitive as possible.

How I Got Here

My journey didn’t start in framework development. Before joining the Spring team in 2014, I spent over ten years in the trenches building large-scale enterprise applications in the geospatial, financial, and logistics sectors.

I remember distinctly what it feels like to be on the other side, managing complex dependencies, fighting with configuration, and wishing the tools would just get out of the way. That experience defined my career: I transitioned from a user of these tools, to a contributor, and finally to a maintainer.

Because of that background, I have a special place in my heart for Spring Initializr, a project I had the privilege of leading for several years. Knowing that I can help a developer get from “idea” to “running code” in seconds is exactly why I do what I do.

(If you are interested in the specific roles and projects I worked on prior to and during my time at Spring, I keep a detailed CV available here for reference.)

What Drives Me

Technically, I love understanding the “inner workings” of things. I enjoy digging into the details of API design and software architecture to ensure that the complexity remains hidden from the end user.

But beyond the code, I believe that open source is fundamentally about people. It is not just about pull requests and release notes; it is about collaboration, mentorship, and creating a space where new contributors feel safe to ask questions.

Offline

I am based in Liège, Belgium.

When I need to disconnect, I love hiking with my wife, mostly exploring the outdoors relatively close to home.

I also have a deep, personal connection with Japan. It is my sanctuary. I travel there alone to find peace and recharge, always looking for spots I haven’t visited yet. The atmosphere there has been incredibly effective for my mental health, allowing me to truly reset.

Otherwise, you will likely find me with headphones on. I am an avid listener of music and podcasts, always looking for the next great track or an interesting conversation to dive into.