Apache ActiveMQ was created in 2004 by James Strachan and other developers at LogicBlaze. The goal was to provide an open-source Java message broker implementing the Java Message Service (JMS) API specification. ActiveMQ quickly gained popularity due to its ease of use, protocol flexibility, and Apache 2.0 licensing.
ActiveMQ entered the Apache Incubator in 2007 and became a Top-Level Project in 2008. During this period:
In 2015, Red Hat donated HornetQ to Apache, which became ActiveMQ Artemis. Artemis represented a next-generation broker with:
Today, two ActiveMQ variants coexist:
| Variant | Description | Current Version |
|---|---|---|
| ActiveMQ Classic | Original broker, JMS-focused | 6.2.x (2026) |
| ActiveMQ Artemis | Next-gen, high-performance | 2.51.x (2026) |
ActiveMQ Classic 6.x requires Java 17+ and continues to receive maintenance updates. Artemis is recommended for new deployments requiring high throughput and modern features.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2004 | ActiveMQ created at LogicBlaze |
| 2007 | Entered Apache Incubator |
| 2008 | Became Apache Top-Level Project |
| 2015 | ActiveMQ Artemis announced |
| 2017 | Artemis 2.0 released |
| 2024 | ActiveMQ 6.0 released (Java 17+) |
| 2026 | ActiveMQ 6.2.x stable |