Spring Boot is one of the most in-demand Java frameworks for building modern web applications, microservices, and enterprise solutions. Learning Spring Boot can significantly boost your career as a Java developer. Here’s why you should learn it, with practical examples.
Simplified Java Development
Spring Boot eliminates the need for complex configurations and boilerplate code, making development faster and easier.
Example: Traditional Spring vs. Spring Boot
Before Spring Boot (Traditional Spring App)
<!-- Requires manual dependency management -->
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-core</artifactId>
<version>5.3.20</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-web</artifactId>
<version>5.3.20</version>
</dependency>
With Spring Boot (Minimal Configuration)
<!-- Just use Spring Boot starter, no need for version management -->
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
</dependency>
Embedded Server - No Need for External Setup
Spring Boot comes with an embedded Tomcat, Jetty, or Undertow server, so you don’t need to deploy your app manually on an external server.
Example: Running a Web App Without External Server
@SpringBootApplication
public class MySpringBootApp {
public static void main(String[] args) {
SpringApplication.run(MySpringBootApp.class, args);
}
}
No need to set up a WAR file and deploy it manually. Just run the main method, and the app starts instantly.
Microservices-Friendly
Spring Boot is widely used for microservices development because of its lightweight nature and cloud integration support.
Example: Creating a Simple REST API in Spring Boot
@RestController
@RequestMapping("/api")
public class HelloController {
@GetMapping("/hello")
public String sayHello() {
return "Hello, Spring Boot!";
}
}