Java Frameworks Overview: Choosing the Right Tool for Your Project

Java remains one of the most popular programming languages, especially for backend development. In this article, we’ll take a look at the leading Java frameworks and help you decide which one fits your needs.

Why Use a Java Framework?

Frameworks simplify development by offering:

• Predefined structure and best practices
• Boilerplate reduction
• Support for dependency injection, configuration, and testing

1. Spring Boot

Use case: Enterprise apps, microservices

@SpringBootApplication
public class MyApp {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SpringApplication.run(MyApp.class, args);
    }
}

Pros:

• Huge ecosystem
• Excellent documentation
• Active community

Cons:

• Startup time and memory usage can be high

2. Micronaut

Use case: Lightweight microservices, serverless

@Controller("/hello")
public class HelloController {
    @Get
    public String hello() {
        return "Hello World";
    }
}

Pros:

• Fast startup and low memory footprint
• Compile-time dependency injection

Cons:

• Smaller community compared to Spring

3. Quarkus

Use case: Cloud-native apps, GraalVM native images

@Path("/hello")
public class HelloResource {
    @GET
    public String hello() {
        return "Hello from Quarkus";
    }
}

Pros:

• Great for Kubernetes
• Fast boot time

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve for Spring developers

4. Jakarta EE

Use case: Traditional enterprise Java

Pros:

• Specification-based (vendor agnostic)
• Mature ecosystem

Cons:

• Can feel outdated for modern microservices

Summary Table

Final Thoughts

Choose based on your needs:

• Want stability and community? Go with Spring Boot.
• Need performance in microservices? Try Micronaut or Quarkus.
• Maintaining legacy apps? Jakarta EE is still relevant.