• Contact: [aaime](https://github.com/aaime
• Tracker: https://osgeo-org.atlassian.net/browse/GEOT-6215
• TLDR: Because NODATA matters

JAI-EXT provides replacements for a number of JAI operations, adding support for NODATA and better support for ROI. So far only a few of the operations have been enabled by default, specifically the few providing new functionalities not present in JAI (e.g., Jiffle map algebra) or with custom activations (e.g., heterogeneous data type mosaics in the geopackage module).

GeoSolutions has however been running GeoServer services with JAI-EXT enabled for years now, while fixes and performance fixes accumulated. We believe it's now ready for general consumption.

GeoTools 21.0

GeoTools XX

Choose one of:

• Under Discussion
• In Progress
• Completed
• Rejected,
• Deferred

Voting:

• Andrea Aime: +1
• Ian Turton: +1
• Jody Garnett: +1
• Nuno Oliveira: +1
• Simone Giannecchini: +0
• Torben Barsballe: +1

The work simply requires upgrading to the latest JAI-EXT version and flipping the default value in ImageWorker. The pull request also removes a number of custom JAI-EXT activations in tests, which are no longer needed.

The GeoServer documentation must be modified so that it mentions the system variable only to disable JAI-EXT, and usage of native JAI should be moved to a footnote, as it would cause a functional regression (as it does not support NODATA).