If you have ever installed Java on a system, you must come across that famous dialog box that proclaims “Java runs on 3 billion devices.” And while Java has over the years garnered its fair share of loyal supports as well as fierce critics, it’s a figure unparalleled by any other technology and in itself is a testimony to its success. One of the key reasons behind such success is its versatility- it can be used for building virtually kind of application, from enterprise and mobile apps to embedded devices and servers.
It is due to this versatility that it has created the need for a large number of supportive tools that may aid java developers in different development environments. That is, a particular framework would be better suited to build web apps with Java while another framework might have better features for building enterprise applications in Java. To help overcome such confusions, here are some of the best Java frameworks along with their best-suited development environment:
Spring
Currently, in its fifth version, Spring is an open source application framework and inversion of control container for Java. Owing to its compatibility with other frameworks, dependency handling, and a ton of modules, it is currently the most popular Java framework. And while its core modules can be used to build virtually any kind of Java application, it is primarily used for web and enterprise solutions.
- When to prefer
- Enterprise applications
- Web applications
- Real-time applications
Pros
- Supports both SQL and NoSQL databases
- Supports backward compatibility
- Supports Aspect-oriented programming
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Tough to migrate projects from Spring
Google Web Toolkit
As the name suggests this Java framework is a product of Google and is completely free to use and open-source. The framework is used to build client-end web applications and even debug AJAX application in Java language. The developers can simply write their application which is then automatically converted into JavaScript. Many of Google’s widely used apps like AdSense, AdWords, Blogger, etc. are built using this framework.
- When to prefer
- Building and maintaining front-end of complex JS applications
- Building progressive web apps
Pros
- Supports reusable components
- Has wealth of Google APIs
- Supports Object-Oriented structure
Cons
- Slow compilation
- Better to learn JS than to convert Java code into JS
Struts
A product of Apache Foundation, this framework is extremely popular for building enterprise solutions. It comes bundled with a broad range of plugins that can be directly integrated into the classpath, making the whole process a lot simpler. On top of that it also compatible with numerous plugins of other frameworks like Spring making more resourceful.
- When to prefer
- Enterprise application development
Pros
- Well curated JSP and classes
- Centralized configuration
- Support for custom JSP tags
Cons
- Struggles to scale
- Lack of backward flow
Closing remarks
Ultimately, any application is only as good as the tools used to build them. While Java in itself is a very powerful tool, the choice of frameworks leaves a deep impact on the overall quality of the application. If you use the best Java frameworks, you can rest assured of the quality fine output in terms of robust and high-performance apps.
