Difference between Spring Framework and Spring Boot?

Spring Framework and Spring Boot are both Java-based development frameworks for building web applications, but there are some key differences between them which we will see in this article. We will also learn about important features of Spring Boot and Spring Framework and also see when to use Spring Boot and when to use Spring Framework in Java. This is also an important Java interview question to knowing the answer will be also good for interviews. 

What is difference between Spring Framework and Spring Boot?

Without any further ado, here are all the key differences between Spring Framework and Spring Boot:

1. Purpose

Spring Framework is a flexible, modular framework for building web applications. It provides a variety of tools and features that can be configured and combined to meet the needs of a particular project. Spring Boot, on the other hand, is designed to simplify the process of creating a new Spring-based project by providing a set of pre-configured components and features.

2. Configuration

Spring Framework requires a lot of manual configuration to set up a new project, whereas Spring Boot has a lot of sensible defaults that can be used right away, making it much easier to get started with a new project.

3. Speed

Spring Boot is designed to be fast and efficient, with a focus on minimizing the time and effort required to get a new project up and running. Spring Framework can be a bit slower to set up, especially for projects with complex requirements.

4. Flexibility

Spring Framework is highly flexible and configurable, and can be used to build a wide variety of web applications. Spring Boot, on the other hand, is designed to provide a set of pre-configured components and features that are optimized for a specific use case, making it less flexible than Spring Framework.

5. Dependencies

Spring Framework does not come with a lot of built-in dependencies, so developers need to manually manage and configure the dependencies they need. Spring Boot, on the other hand, comes with a lot of built-in dependencies that are automatically managed and configured, making it much easier to get started with a new project.

Overall, Spring Boot is a great choice for developers who want to get up and running quickly with a new project, while Spring Framework is a more flexible option for developers who need more control over the configuration and setup of their project.

What are key features of Spring Framework? what benefits it provides

The Spring Framework provides several key features, including:

1. Inversion of Control (IoC) and Dependency Injection (DI)

The Spring Framework provides a powerful IoC container that manages the creation and wiring of objects in an application. This helps to promote a modular, reusable, and testable design.

2. Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP)

Spring provides AOP support, allowing you to write cross-cutting concerns such as logging, security, and transaction management as reusable, modular components that can be easily woven into your application.

3. Data Access and Integration

Spring provides a range of data access and integration features, including support for databases, JPA, JDBC, NoSQL databases, and more.

4. Web Applications

Spring provides a range of features for building web applications, including MVC support, RESTful web services, and a flexible web-based client.

5. Testing

Spring provides a rich testing framework that makes it easy to test individual components in isolation, as well as integrated tests that run against the entire application.

6. Transaction Management: Spring

provides a flexible and powerful transaction management framework that integrates with various transaction APIs, including JTA and JDBC.

7. Security

Spring provides a comprehensive security framework that makes it easy to secure your application at the web, method, and data levels.

8. Flexibility and Customizability

The Spring Framework is highly customizable, allowing you to write custom extensions and integrate with other frameworks and libraries as needed.

Benefits of using Spring Framework for Java development

Here are the key benefits of using Spring framework for Java development:

1. Improved Productivity

The Spring Framework makes it easier to build high-quality, maintainable, and testable applications, which can help to improve overall development productivity.

2. Increased Reusability

 By promoting modular, reusable, and testable design patterns, the Spring Framework helps to increase the reusability of code and components across projects.

3. Better Testing

The Spring Framework provides a rich testing framework that makes it easy to test individual components in isolation, as well as integrated tests that run against the entire application.

4. Improved Security

Spring provides a comprehensive security framework that makes it easy to secure your application at the web, method, and data levels.

5. Improved Performance

Spring is designed to be highly performant, using lazy-loading, caching, and other performance-enhancing features to help you build fast and responsive applications.

6. Increased Flexibility

The Spring Framework is highly customizable, allowing you to write custom extensions and integrate with other frameworks and libraries as needed, making it easier to build applications that meet your specific needs.

What are key Spring Boot features and what benefit it provides?

Spring Boot provides several key features, including:

1. Auto-configuration

Spring Boot automatically configures your application based on the dependencies that you have added, reducing the amount of manual configuration required.

2. Embedded web servers

Spring Boot provides embedded web servers, such as Tomcat and Jetty, which makes it easy to build and run web applications without the need for a separate web server.

3. Starter POMs

Spring Boot provides starter POMs, which are pre-configured POM files that contain all the dependencies required to build a particular type of application, such as a web application or a data-driven application.

4. Command Line Interface (CLI)

The Spring Boot CLI makes it easy to create, test, and run Spring Boot applications from the command line.

5. Health Checks

Spring Boot provides a built-in health check endpoint, which makes it easy to monitor the health of your application.

6. Actuator

The Spring Boot Actuator provides a set of production-ready endpoints that provide insight into the internal state of your application, such as metrics, health, and configuration information.

7. Externalized Configuration

Spring Boot allows you to externalize configuration properties, making it easier to manage configuration changes across different environments.

Benefits of using Spring Boot

Here are the main advantages of using Spring Boot for Java development:

1. Improved Productivity

Spring Boot reduces the amount of manual configuration required, making it easier and faster to build and deploy applications.

2. Increased Reusability

Spring Boot provides pre-configured POMs and starter projects, which make it easier to reuse code and components across projects.

3. Improved Scalability

Spring Boot's embedded web servers and health check features make it easier to build and run scalable applications.

4. Increased Flexibility

The Spring Boot Actuator provides production-ready endpoints that provide insight into the internal state of your application, making it easier to build and manage complex applications.

5. Better Testing

Spring Boot provides a rich testing framework that makes it easy to test individual components in isolation, as well as integrated tests that run against the entire application.

6. Improved Security

Spring Boot provides built-in security features that make it easier to secure your application.

7. Increased Agility

Spring Boot's flexible and customizable architecture makes it easier to build applications that meet your specific needs and requirements.

When to use Spring Framework and Spring Boot?

The choice between using Spring Framework and Spring Boot depends on the requirements and constraints of your project.

Spring Framework

If you have a complex project with specific requirements, and you need full control over the configuration and components of your application, then using Spring Framework is a good choice.

Spring Boot

If you have a smaller, simpler project that needs to be up and running quickly, or if you don't have the resources or expertise to manually configure a complex project, then using Spring Boot is a good choice.

Mixed Approach

In some cases, you may choose to use both Spring Framework and Spring Boot in the same project. For example, you may use Spring Boot to quickly set up a basic project, and then use Spring Framework to add custom configurations and components as needed.

That's all about difference between Spring and Spring Boot in Java. In summary, the choice between Spring Framework and Spring Boot depends on the size, complexity, and requirements of your project, as well as the resources and expertise available to you.