Spring MVC and Spring Boot are both part of the Spring framework, but they serve distinct roles and functionalities when building Java applications. The key differences are outlined below:
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Definition and Purpose:
- Spring MVC is a framework for building web applications within the Spring ecosystem. It primarily implements design patterns such as Inversion of Control (IoC) and Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP), and handles HTTP requests in web applications.
- Spring Boot was designed to simplify developing standalone applications using the Spring framework. It embeds servers like Tomcat, Jetty, or Undertow directly via auto-configuration, eliminating the need to deploy WAR files.
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Dependency Management:
- In Spring MVC, you must manually configure all dependencies and libraries, including Spring core, web modules, and database connections.
- Spring Boot provides "starters" that automatically manage project dependencies. For instance, to build a web application, you only need to add the
spring-boot-starter-webdependency.
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Auto-Configuration:
- Spring MVC requires manual setup of components like DispatcherServlet and WebApplicationContext.
- Spring Boot leverages extensive auto-configuration, removing manual setup. It automatically configures your application based on JAR files present in the classpath.
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Embedded Servers:
- Traditional Spring MVC applications require deployment to an external server, such as Tomcat or Jetty.
- Spring Boot supports embedded servers, streamlining development and testing. You can start your application simply by running it, without deploying any files.
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Use Cases:
- Spring MVC suits developers building applications from the ground up who require fine-grained control.
- Spring Boot is ideal for developers of all levels, especially for projects needing rapid startup and execution, as well as microservices architecture.
Example:
Suppose I need to quickly develop a RESTful web service. With Spring Boot, I can achieve this efficiently: add the spring-boot-starter-web dependency, create a class with @RestController, define route methods, and the application runs without configuring Tomcat.
In summary, Spring MVC offers a robust framework for fine-grained web application configuration, while Spring Boot enables rapid development without intricate configurations, making it particularly suitable for microservices architecture and projects requiring quick iterations.