10 Best Java Frameworks You Should Know (2024 list)

What are Java Frameworks?

Java frameworks are tools that help developers create applications faster and easier. They offer a structured way to build software, avoiding the need to start from scratch every time. These frameworks come with pre-written code, libraries, and guidelines that help in building reliable and scalable applications.

Why Use Java Frameworks?

Saves Time: With basic structures already in place, developers can focus on the unique aspects of their projects instead of the basics.
Consistency: They promote consistent coding practices, making it easier for teams to collaborate and for new members to get up to speed.
Quality: Many frameworks are open-source and community-tested, meaning the code is often more reliable and secure.

1. Spring

Spring is a powerful Java framework used for building web applications. It simplifies the development process by providing comprehensive infrastructure support for developing Java apps. Spring enables developers to create high-performing, easily testable, and reusable code.

Key Features

• Dependency Injection: Automates the process of connecting objects with their dependencies, making code cleaner and more modular.
• Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP): Allows separation of cross-cutting concerns (like logging and security), improving code modularity.
• Spring MVC: A model-view-controller architecture that simplifies the development of web applications through multiple view technologies.
• Transaction Management: Simplifies transaction management, even for complex transactions involving multiple resources.
• Security: Offers a customizable authentication and access-control framework to secure applications.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Simplifies Java development and promotes good practices.
• Highly scalable, making it suitable for large-scale applications.
• Strong community support and extensive documentation.
• Integrates easily with other Java frameworks and technologies.

Cons

• Steep learning curve for beginners due to its vastness.
• Configuration can be complex and time-consuming.
• Overhead might be an issue for smaller projects.

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2. Hibernate

Hibernate is a Java framework that simplifies the development of Java application to interact with the database. It is an open-source, lightweight, ORM (Object Relational Mapping) tool. Hibernate implements the Java Persistence API (JPA) standards and helps in converting Java classes to database tables and from Java data types to SQL data types. It's designed to bridge the gap between object-oriented programming languages and relational database management systems (RDBMS).

Key Features

• Automatic ORM Mapping: Automates the mapping between Java classes and database tables to simplify database operations.
• Database Independence: Works with multiple databases, making it easy to switch databases without changing Java code.
• Caching Mechanism: Includes built-in caching capabilities to improve application performance by reducing database access.
• Lazy Loading: Supports lazy initialization to enhance performance by loading only necessary data on demand.
• Query Options: Offers HQL (Hibernate Query Language) and criteria queries for retrieving data, adding flexibility in query formulation.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Simplifies complex database operations, reducing the amount of boilerplate code needed.
• Enhances portability across databases by abstracting database interactions.
• Improves application performance through caching and efficient data retrieval strategies.
• Facilitates easy integration with other Java frameworks and technologies.

Cons:

• Can introduce overhead, especially in complex queries, impacting performance.
• Requires a learning curve to understand and implement its advanced features effectively.
• Sometimes less transparent in operations, making debugging difficult for complex issues.
• May not be suitable for very high transaction environments where direct SQL can perform better.

3. Apache Wicket

Apache Wicket is a Java web application framework that follows a component-based architecture. It enables developers to build dynamic, highly interactive web applications using plain Java and HTML. Wicket emphasizes simplicity and ease of use, making it a great choice for developers who want to maintain clear separation between markup and logic without resorting to extensive XML configuration files.

Key Features

• Component-Based Architecture: Allows for the building of web pages from reusable components, promoting code reuse and modularity.
• Event-Driven Development: Simplifies handling user actions through an event model that links behavior to components.
• Bookmarkable Pages: Supports the creation of bookmarkable URLs for easier access and navigation.
• Highly Customizable: Offers extensive customization options for components, enabling unique web application development.
• Ajax Support: Includes built-in Ajax functionality, facilitating the development of rich, responsive user interfaces.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Simplifies Web Development: Its component-based approach reduces complexity in web app development.
• Clean Separation Between Markup and Logic: Keeps HTML and Java code separate, improving maintainability.
• Strong Type Safety: Offers compile-time checks, reducing runtime errors and improving code quality.
• Good Documentation and Community Support: Provides ample learning resources and community support, making it easier for new developers to get started.

Cons:

• Learning Curve: New users may find it challenging to get accustomed to its unique approach to web development.
• Not as Popular as Some Alternatives: May have fewer resources and third-party integrations compared to more widely used frameworks.
• Performance Overhead: The component-based model might introduce some performance overhead, especially in large applications.
• Limited Market Share: Its smaller community size compared to other Java frameworks can be a downside for finding resources or hiring experienced developers.

4. Struts

Struts is an open-source framework for developing Java EE web applications. It uses and extends the Java Servlet API to encourage developers to adopt a model-view-controller (MVC) architecture. Struts combines Java Servlets, JavaBeans, resource files, and custom tags to create reusable, modular web applications. The framework aims to streamline the development process by providing a clear structure for building applications.

Key Features

• Form Validation: Offers a straightforward way to validate form inputs, ensuring data integrity and user error feedback.
• Internationalization: Simplifies the creation of multilingual applications, enabling global reach with minimal extra coding.
• Plug-In Architecture: Allows developers to extend and customize the core functionality, making the framework adaptable to various project needs.
• Tag Libraries: Provides a set of custom JSP tags for creating dynamic web pages without writing extensive Java code.
• Integration Support: Facilitates integration with other Java frameworks and technologies, streamlining the development of complex applications.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Wide Adoption: Being one of the early MVC frameworks, it has a large community and a wealth of documentation.
• Clear Structure: Promotes organization and reusability, making it easier to maintain and scale projects.
• Developer Productivity: The framework's predefined structure and utilities reduce the need for boilerplate code, speeding up development.
• Extensibility: Its plug-in architecture allows for easy addition of features or integration with other frameworks.

Cons:

• Learning Curve: Newer developers might find the framework challenging to learn due to its complexity and the amount of configuration required.
• Becoming Outdated: With the emergence of newer frameworks, Struts is sometimes considered less modern in terms of features and conventions.
• Verbose Configuration: Requires extensive XML configuration, which can become cumbersome for large projects.
•  Security Concerns: Notable security vulnerabilities in the past highlight the necessity of keeping up with patches and updates, which can be addressed through attending a cybersecurity seminar.

5. JHipster

JHipster is a development platform to generate, develop, and deploy Spring Boot + Angular/React/Vue web applications and Spring microservices. It blends a rich set of technologies and tools to offer a straightforward way to create high-quality applications quickly. JHipster provides a development experience that bridges the gap between backend and frontend developers, facilitating the creation of fully integrated and production-ready applications.

Key Features

• Application Generation: Automates the creation of Spring Boot applications with a choice of front-end frameworks.
• Microservice Support: Simplifies developing and deploying microservices architecture with Spring Cloud.
• Database Integration: Offers easy integration with SQL, NoSQL databases, and provides database version control.
• DevOps Ready: Comes with Docker and Kubernetes support for simplified deployment and scaling.
• Built-in Authentication: Supports basic and OAuth2 authentication out of the box, with options for social login integration.

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Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Speeds up development by automating repetitive tasks.
• Ensures consistency across different parts of the application.
• Wide technology support facilitates integration with various tools and systems.
• Strong community support and frequent updates keep it relevant.

Cons:

• Can be overwhelming for beginners due to its vast array of features and technologies.
• Sometimes too opinionated, leaving little room for customization.
• Generated applications might include unnecessary components, leading to bloat.

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6. Play Framework

Play Framework is a high-velocity web application framework for Java and Scala developers. It focuses on developer productivity and targets RESTful architectures. Play provides a scalable, fast, and lightweight environment for web development, simplifying the crafting of scalable web applications by handling the boilerplate code and letting developers focus on what makes their app unique.

Key Features

• Hot Reload: Changes in the code are immediately reflected in the browser, speeding up development.
• Stateless Architecture: Designed to be stateless, it supports highly scalable applications.
• Built-in Testing Tools: Comes with tools for functional and unit testing, making it easier to maintain code quality.
• Asynchronous Programming: Supports asynchronous I/O operations, enhancing performance for applications with heavy traffic.
• Internationalization: Provides built-in mechanisms for supporting multiple languages, simplifying the development of global applications.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Rapid Development: Hot reload feature speeds up the development cycle.
• Scalability: Stateless nature makes it easy to scale applications.
• Performance: Asynchronous I/O operations ensure high performance.
• Simplicity: Minimalist approach, reducing the amount of boilerplate code.

Cons:

• Learning Curve: Might be steep for developers not familiar with asynchronous programming.
• Resource Consumption: Can be higher compared to some micro-frameworks, especially in small projects.
• Community Size: Smaller compared to other Java frameworks, which might affect finding resources and support.

7. Google Web Toolkit (GWT)

Google Web Toolkit (GWT) is a development toolkit for building and optimizing complex browser-based applications. It's a Java framework that allows developers to write client-side Java code and deploy it as JavaScript for web applications. Essentially, it bridges Java and JavaScript worlds, enabling the development of high-performance web applications with a rich user interface.

Java Services Provider Interface is a mechanism that enables the extension of a Java application by defining a set of interfaces that can be implemented by service providers. Java framework allows for the dynamic loading of implementations at runtime, facilitating the development of modular and flexible software architectures.

Key Features

• Java to JavaScript Compilation: GWT compiles Java code into highly optimized JavaScript, making it run across all major browsers smoothly.
• Reusability of Code: Allows writing reusable components, speeding up the development process by using existing Java libraries.
• Integrated Development Mode: Offers a special mode that lets developers test and debug Java code directly without compiling it into JavaScript.
• UI Abstraction: Provides a set of UI components that abstract away the complexities of HTML and JavaScript, simplifying the development of the user interface.
• Performance Profiling: Comes with tools to help identify performance bottlenecks, ensuring that web applications run efficiently.

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Pros & Cons

Pros:

Cross-browser compatibility - Automatically handles browser quirks, making applications work uniformly across different browsers.
Development efficiency - Enables using Java’s development tools (e.g., IDEs, debuggers) for web applications, improving productivity.
Strong community support - Benefits from a wide range of resources, tools, and libraries developed by its active community.

Cons:

Learning curve - Requires understanding both Java and web development intricacies, which can be challenging for newcomers.
Compilation time - Large projects might experience slow compilation times, impacting rapid development cycles.
JavaScript reliance - While it abstracts JavaScript, deep customizations or optimizations may still require direct JavaScript coding.

8. Dropwizard

Dropwizard is a sleek, lightweight Java framework designed for developing high-performance web applications. It stands out for bundling together stable, mature libraries from the Java ecosystem into a simple, light package that lets you start building applications right away. With Dropwizard, you get an operable web service up and running in the least amount of time possible, focusing on getting things done with minimal fuss.

Key Features

• Jetty HTTP Server: Integrates a high-performance HTTP server for running your application.
• Jersey RESTful Web Services: Offers a framework for developing RESTful web services, making API development straightforward.
• Jackson JSON Processor: Simplifies serialization and deserialization of Java objects to and from JSON, aiding in API data handling.
• Metrics: Provides powerful insights into your application's performance and health, with built-in monitoring and metrics.
• Hibernate Validator: Supports validation of application inputs, ensuring data integrity and consistency.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Quick Setup: Dropwizard's streamlined setup process gets your application running quickly.
• Out-of-the-Box Support: Comes with essential libraries and tools, reducing the need to stitch together different components.
• Performance: Optimized for high performance, making it suitable for applications requiring fast response times.
• Monitoring and Metrics: Built-in support for monitoring and metrics allows for easy tracking of application health and performance.

Cons:

• Learning Curve: New users might need time to get familiar with its conventions and bundled libraries.
• Less Flexibility: Its opinionated setup offers less flexibility compared to more modular frameworks.
• Limited to REST API: Primarily focused on building RESTful services, which might not suit all types of projects.

9. Vaadin

Vaadin is a Java framework designed for building modern web applications. It allows developers to write UI code in Java, automating client-server communication and DOM manipulation behind the scenes. This approach simplifies the development of rich Internet applications by focusing on server-side logic, making it a go-to choice for many Java developers seeking to create responsive web interfaces.

Key Features

• Server-side Architecture: Vaadin runs on the server, automatically handling client-server communication, which simplifies web app development.
• Component-Based: Offers a comprehensive set of UI components out-of-the-box, facilitating rapid UI development.
• Direct Java API for HTML: Enables writing front-end in Java, eliminating the need for extensive HTML or JavaScript knowledge.
• Theme and Layout System: Comes with customizable themes and layout options, making it easier to design attractive UIs.
• Built-in Router: Vaadin includes a powerful router for managing navigation and URLs, supporting single-page application features seamlessly.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Simplifies web development by allowing UI coding in Java.
• Reduces the need for front-end expertise among Java developers.
• Enhances productivity with a rich set of ready-to-use components.
• Facilitates building of responsive and modern web applications.

Cons:

• Can be heavyweight for simple web applications.
• Limited control over the front-end for complex customizations.
• Potentially steeper learning curve for developers unfamiliar with its approach.
• Server-side architecture might introduce latency in high-traffic applications.

10. Quarkus

Quarkus is a Java framework designed to offer developers an efficient platform for creating cloud-native applications. This framework is known for its container-first approach, optimizing Java specifically for Kubernetes and enabling applications to be more lightweight and faster. Quarkus achieves this by tailoring software to run in environments with limited resources, which is a common characteristic of cloud deployments.

Key Features

• Live Coding: Quarkus provides a development mode that supports changes in your application on the fly without needing a server restart, making the development process quicker.
• Imperative and Reactive Programming: It supports both programming models, allowing developers to write applications that are scalable and resilient.
• Container First: Designed with containerization in mind, Quarkus ensures that applications are lightweight and have fast boot times, ideal for microservices architecture.
• Unified Configuration: Offers a centralized configuration system that simplifies the management of application settings across different environments.
• Extensive Ecosystem: Quarkus comes with a broad range of extensions, integrating seamlessly with popular Java libraries and standards.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Reduced Memory Footprint: Optimizations lead to lower memory usage, which is crucial for cloud deployments.
• Faster Startup Time: Applications boot more quickly, enhancing the scalability of microservices.
• Developer Productivity: Features like live coding reduce development time and improve the overall development experience.
• Flexibility: Supports both traditional imperative programming and reactive paradigms, giving developers the flexibility to choose the best approach for their application.

Cons:

• Learning Curve: Newcomers to Quarkus might find it challenging to get up to speed with its unique approach to application development.
• Ecosystem Adaptation: While it has extensive integration, there might be libraries or tools that are not yet fully adapted or optimized for Quarkus.
• Limited Use Cases: Primarily focused on cloud-native and microservices architectures, which might not suit all project requirements.

Let's Build Together with SayOne

At SayOne, we're passionate about bringing your ideas to life through innovative Java application development. Our approach is tailored to meet the unique needs of each project, ensuring that we deliver not just applications, but solutions that drive success.

Our Development Approach for Java Applications

• Customized Solutions: We believe that every project is unique. That's why we start with a deep understanding of your goals and challenges, crafting personalized solutions that fit.
• Agile Methodology: Flexibility is key in development. Our agile approach allows us to adapt quickly, make iterative improvements, and deliver value at every stage of the development process.
• Quality and Reliability: Leveraging the power of leading Java frameworks, we ensure that your application is not only built quickly but is also reliable, secure, and scalable.
• Collaborative Spirit: We work closely with our clients, keeping you in the loop with transparent communication, so you're always aware of the progress and can provide input to steer the project in the right direction.

Ready to bring your vision to life?

If you're looking to develop a Java application that stands out, let's talk. Our team at SayOne is ready to turn your concept into a reality, ensuring a smooth, efficient, and effective development process from start to finish. Get in touch with us today!