Differentiate between Spring and Spring Boot
Spring and Spring Boot are both part of the Spring Framework ecosystem, but they serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics. Here’s a breakdown of the differences between the two:
Core Framework: Spring is a comprehensive framework for building Java applications. It provides a wide range of features, including dependency injection, aspect-oriented programming, transaction management, and more.
Configuration: Spring requires a significant amount of configuration, which can be done using XML files, Java annotations, or Java configuration classes. This can lead to boilerplate code and complexity, especially in larger applications.
Modular: Spring is modular, meaning you can use only the parts of the framework that you need. However, this modularity can also lead to complexity in managing dependencies and configurations.
Flexibility: Spring provides a lot of flexibility in terms of how you structure your application, but this can also mean that developers need to make more decisions about configuration and setup.
No Built-in Server: Spring does not come with an embedded server. You typically need to deploy your Spring applications to a web server like Tomcat or Jetty.
Convention over Configuration: Spring Boot is built on top of the Spring Framework and aims to simplify the setup and development of new Spring applications. It follows the "convention over configuration" principle, which means it provides sensible defaults and reduces the need for extensive configuration.
Auto-Configuration: Spring Boot includes a feature called auto-configuration, which automatically configures your application based on the dependencies you have added. This significantly reduces the amount of manual configuration required.
Embedded Server: Spring Boot comes with embedded servers (like Tomcat, Jetty, or Undertow), allowing you to run your application as a standalone Java application without needing to deploy it to an external server.
Starter Dependencies: Spring Boot provides "starter" dependencies that bundle common libraries and configurations for specific use cases (e.g., web applications, data access, etc.), making it easier to get started with new projects.
Production-Ready Features: Spring Boot includes built-in features for monitoring and managing applications in production, such as health checks, metrics, and externalized configuration.
Simplified Project Setup: Spring Boot provides tools like Spring Initializr, which allows developers to quickly generate a new Spring Boot project with the desired dependencies and configurations.
In summary, while Spring is a powerful and flexible framework for building Java applications, Spring Boot simplifies the development process by providing a set of conventions, auto-configuration, and built-in features that make it easier to create and deploy Spring applications. Spring Boot is particularly well-suited for microservices and modern cloud-based applications, while Spring provides the foundational capabilities that can be leveraged in a variety of application architectures.