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Sudhakar V
Sudhakar V

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Spring Framework Vs Spring Boot

When choosing between Spring Framework (often referred to simply as “Spring”) and Spring Boot, you’re really comparing:

  1. A foundational programming model (Spring)
  2. A convention-over-configuration, rapid-starter layer built on top of that model (Spring Boot)

Below are the key reasons teams opt for Spring Boot instead of manually assembling classic Spring:

1. Auto-Configuration & Starters

Aspect Spring Framework Spring Boot
Configuration You explicitly declare all beans, datasources, view resolvers, etc. via XML or @Configuration classes. Auto-configuration guesses sensible defaults based on the classpath and your properties.
Dependencies You pull in each Spring module (Web MVC, Data JPA, Security, etc.) and their transitive dependencies yourself. “Starter” POMs (e.g. spring-boot-starter-web, -data-jpa) bundle the right libraries and versions.

Why it matters

  • Less boilerplate — no need to hunt for the exact versions of Jackson, Hibernate, Tomcat, etc.
  • Fast onboarding — newcomers can run a REST service in minutes.

2. Embedded Server

Aspect Spring Framework Spring Boot
Server setup You install/configure Tomcat/Jetty/Undertow separately and deploy a WAR file. Embedded server out of the box—runs as a standalone JAR via java -jar.

Why it matters

  • Simplifies deployment (no external servlet container).
  • Ideal for microservices and cloud-native pipelines.

3. Opinionated Defaults & Production-Ready Features

Spring Boot brings “production readiness” features on day one:

  • Health checks & metrics via Actuator (/actuator/health, /actuator/metrics).
  • Externalized configuration (application.properties/.yml, profiles).
  • Log configuration (auto-configure Logback, Log4J2).
  • Basic security defaults (e.g. default user/password with Spring Security).

With plain Spring, you’d wire each of these pieces manually.

4. Rapid Development & Developer Experience

  • Embedded CLI: run Groovy scripts to prototype endpoints without a full IDE.
  • DevTools: automatic restart and live-reload support.
  • Opinionated project structure (src/main/java, resources, tests) leads to consistency across teams.

5. Community & Ecosystem Momentum

  • Spring Initializr (https://start.spring.io) speeds up project creation with your chosen starters and metadata.
  • Large ecosystem: most cloud providers, CI/CD platforms, and monitoring tools offer first-class Spring Boot integrations.

Quick Comparison

Feature Spring Framework Spring Boot
Configuration style XML / Java Config Convention-over-configuration + properties/YAML
Deployment artifact WAR to external server “Fat” JAR with embedded server
Startup complexity Higher Very low
Production features Optional wiring Included via Actuator, DevTools, auto-configs
Learning curve Steeper (lots of setup) Gentler (starter projects)

🧭 When to Use Which

  • Spring Framework alone
    − You need fine-grained control over every detail of bean wiring and server setup.
    − You’re extending or maintaining a legacy app with non-boot conventions.

  • Spring Boot
    − You want to get productive ASAP with minimal setup.
    − You’re building microservices or cloud-deployed apps.
    − You value out-of-the-box monitoring, metrics, and health endpoints.

If you’d like a hands-on demo—for example, converting a plain Spring MVC app into a Spring Boot service—let me know!

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