10 Best Java Frameworks for Web Development in 2024

Key takeaways

1. Java became a trendsetter and is unlikely to leave the market. Find out what’s so special about a Java web development framework before making your choice. 
2. Java has slipped in a rating, but it doubled its community. Explore the peculiarities of frameworks Java lays in their cores.
3. Go through the top 10 Java web frameworks for web-based applications to find those that meet your needs.
4. Often, a technology change is inevitable. Read more about how to prevent yourself from failure with our practical tips.
5. Expert opinion: reveal recommendations on using Java capabilities for your particular case.

The “write once, run anywhere” philosophy enables Java programs to execute on any device or operating system, and managing and optimizing program memory are the two main purposes of the JVM (Java Virtual Machine). Despite Java having slipped in the Tiobe language popularity index rating dd Dec. 2022 for the first time ever, dating back to 2001, Java is still one of the most popular programming languages on the planet.

In 2022, 6.3 million web developers joined the Java community, demonstrating the most considerable growth of any language community. First, Java is the primary programming language of the most popular Android mobile operating system. Another reason for Java’s continued growth is its reliability and scalability. And since many industries (e.g., retail, big data, research, banking, finance, and the stock market) rely on Java, this language is not going anywhere. Let’s take a look at how developers can get the most with Java frameworks for web development.

Java frameworks market overview for 2024

As stated by W3Techs, Java tops the market in terms of Java framework popularity and traffic in comparison with the most popular server-side programming languages. Java is used in almost every major industry and economic sector. Such popularity provokes appearing a wide variety of Java web frameworks to cope with different programming challenges. 

In the past two years, the global Java community has doubled from 8.3 million to 16.5 million people, taking third place following JavaScript and Python, according to SlashData. This is due not only to the increase in familiar backend and mobile development. Java is increasingly used in AR/VR projects due to the popularity of using the Android platform for this kind of project. You may surprised, but if you are wondering how to make a website like Udemy, you’ll find Java in its core, too.

The same applies to the popularity of frameworks. For example, Spring – the most popular Java-based free framework – has been on the rise in 2022, whose increase in overall usage is justified by a similar increase in Java use.

Speaking about compensation factors that affect the demand, the average cost to hire a Java developer in North America is $ 120,000 per annum, reaching $ 180,000 as the maximum. While in Eastern Europe, a yearly salary of $ 62,000 is realistic. Sure thing, this raises the question of how to hire Java developers with particular knowledge at a reasonable price. But first things first. Let’s elaborate on what a Java framework is.

What is a framework?

A framework is a component-based piece of pre-written code whose task is to be a template or skeleton, which can be reused to create an application by simply filling with your code as needed, which enables developers to program their application with no overhead of creating each line of code again and again from scratch. 

Speaking of functionality, not all frameworks serve the same purpose. When choosing a framework, it is right to base your choice on the needs for solving business problems, not on your personal preferences.

The functions of frameworks can be divided into the following: 

• Frontend-focused and backend-oriented, such as working with databases
• For creating full-featured web applications in Java

Now, if you are searching for the best frameworks for Java in the market that help you develop a website easier, faster, and better than Java is always there for you with a large number of frameworks, and most importantly, most of the Java frameworks for web application development are free and open-source.

Let’s go through the most worth overviewing ones. 

Top Java frameworks for startups web development

We have dozens of frameworks for different purposes, but there is a need to learn all of them. Some you will start to learn as you need to, but there are a number of frameworks to be mastered first. But in this case, a natural question arises: which Java framework is best for web development? Let’s find out.

Spring

Spring is rightly referred to as the best Java framework for web development. It is a robust, lightweight, and the most popular application Java frontend framework, affecting Java’s improvement in speed, easiness, and safety in usage. It designs and manages the lifecycle and configurations of application objects. Spring is popular among the large enterprise segment when repeatedly becoming the number one choice of professional developers. It is perfect for developing scalable, secure, and robust client-oriented web applications.

Spring is ideal for creating enterprise Java applications. It allows developers to focus on the business logic of the application. A pair of Spring MVC (Model View Controller) and Spring Cloud transforms Java into a modern, reactive, and cloud-ready tool to create high-performance, complex web applications.

Used by: Zalando, BlaBlaCar, Zillow, Netflix, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, etc.

Hibernate

Hibernate is an open-source ORM framework for Java web development, compelling and has high-performance ratings. It is an object-relational mapping framework that creates communication between the tables in the database and the Java classes and vice versa. This saves developers a considerable amount of unnecessary, routine work and, consequently, makes mistakes.

Since Hibernate was designed for relational databases, more recent versions now support NoSQL data stores, too. Additionally, it features a mapping editor and also such top-notch developer tools like a database reverse engineering tool and a Hibernate console.

Used by: Platform, Backbase, Dell, Trade Republic, DAILYHOTEL.

Google Web Toolkit 

Google Web Toolkit (GWT) is an open-source toolkit released by Google to help developers write Java code and compile it into JavaScript to run in browsers. You can create complex web applications without practical experience with front-end development languages such as JavaScript. This Java web application development framework includes a number of unique features, such as UI abstraction, cross-browser compatibility, and internationalization.

Used by: Boeing, Stellar Science, ECR Software Corp., Lockheed Martin

Tapestry

Tapestry allows Java developers to build dynamic, reliable, and highly scalable web applications. It works in any servlet container or application server since it enhances and expands upon the standard Java Servlet API. Any application server can run Tapestry, and it integrates quickly with all back ends, such as Spring, Hibernate, etc. Following the convention-over-configuration paradigm, It uses naming conventions and annotations for configurations.

Used by: Finance Active, sigh, Beckon

Dropwizard

Dropwizard is a powerful Java framework highly optimized for developing RESTful services. In Dropwizard, the definitions of a library and a framework are blurred. Its objective is to offer dependable, practical implementations of each requirement for a production-ready web application. Your application remains nimble and focused because this functionality has been abstracted into a reusable library, which lowers. JSON eliminates the need to write code for metrics and configurations. 

Dropwizard saves your effort on extra features like configuring metrics or writing logging code. Instead, you can maximize efficiency by concentrating on the main business logic of your program. Dropwizard is frequently described as the best Java web framework that is operations-friendly because of this.

Used by: CRED, UpWork, Wayfair, Samba Tech, Yammer

Grails

Grails is one of the most popular Java frameworks for web development for creating web applications written in the Groovy scripting language with a Java-like syntax that works on the Java platform. Its ideology is similar to Ruby on Rails. The mission of the web application framework was to attract users’ interest in the Java platform. It made it possible to build web applications easily and flexibly, not previously available in Java development.

There are plugins for Grails that extend its capabilities, such as Acegi for handling authorization and authentication. Grails follows the MVC principle and offers convenient tools for linking URLs to controllers, localizing the application, validating model data, and much more. 

Used by: LinkedIn, Biting Bit, TransferWise, EasyCrédito, PedidosYa

Vaadin

Vaadin is a UI framework with a server-side Java programming model related to Java frontend frameworks, where all UI logic and state are located on the server, and only the UI component code is executed in the browser. The server-side approach allows the UI development as a desktop Java application with direct access to data and services on the server. The Vaadin engine renders the server-side application UI in the browser and implements all the details of the client-server exchange.

Building an enterprise web application involves many moving parts. Vaadin simplifies creating an enterprise web application thanks to an integrated Java web application development platform. All the necessary components, frameworks, and tools needed to create robust, secure business applications with a great UX are available in Vaadin. 

Used by: Associated Bank, T-Mobile Polska, Generali Hellas, CAS genesisWorld.

JHipster

JHipster is a relatively young open-source Java framework that combines Spring Boot, and client-side frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue to make a rapid web application development Java. JHipster provides two types of architectures: monolithic (frontend and backend are implemented in a single application) and microservices (frontend and backend are implemented separately).

Used by: Adobe, Bank Of The West BNP Paribas, Accenture, Accor Live Limitless

Play

Play Framework combines productivity and performance for creating scalable online applications in a quick and easy way using Java and Scala. Play’s architecture is lightweight, stateless, and is the best Java web framework. Play, which is based on Akka, gives highly scalable applications predictable and low resource consumption (CPU, memory, threads).

Play has a “just hit refresh” workflow and built-in testing capabilities, making it developer-friendly. Play’s stateless and non-blocking architecture enables applications to scale predictably. It is a perfect fit for contemporary web & mobile applications because it is RESTful by default and includes assets compilers, JSON, and WebSocket support.

Used by: LinkedIn, Glovo, Coursera, Zalando, Accenture, Deloitte

Spark 

Spark is a less verbose style of coding Java/Kotlin applications pursuing the aim of rapid development. Spark allows using fewer templates while developing Java/Kotlin apps. With Spark, developers can enjoy a REST API ready to serve JSON in a few lines of code. Being a microframework, Spark excels at handling microservices. It supports a wide range of template engines but is primarily used for building REST APIs. Using Spark means developing an application quickly, like with Node.js, but getting all the benefits of running them on the JVM.  

Up and running is possible in just a few minutes. It runs on the Jetty web server built into the framework and can also be used with other Java web servers. Using Spark to create REST APIs is the most common server-side use case. It also performs well in web applications with high traffic of 10,000 users per day or more, for example, Pinterest, and has proven to be a good fit working with data distribution in big data cases. You can read more about how to make a website like Pinterest here as well.

Used by: Revolut, Payjinn, 1000mercis, Kasa Smart, Waltz.

Blade 

Blade, a lightweight and high-performance Java framework, allows developers to create fast web applications efficiently. Its creators have focused on simplicity and elegance, aiming for the user to master the entire framework in a single day. Following the MVC (Model-View-Controller) design pattern, Blade has a well-designed structure that minimizes dependency on third-party libraries and avoids unnecessary layers. Built on Java 8, the framework seamlessly integrates the Netty web server and templating engine. Notably, Blade has a minimal footprint: its source code is less than 500kb.

Blade offers a RESTful-style routing interface, which makes it easy to work with routes. Deployment is easy, and projects on Maven and Gradle are supported. The framework also has built-in security features such as protection against CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) and XSS (Cross-Site Scripting). In addition, Blade supports plugin extensions and makes it easier to utilize webjar resources.

Used by: Spookies, Merengue Merengue, idOS E-mail Handler, Stormcatch API’s, Smart Admin.

Micronaut 

Introduced in 2018, Micronaut is a relatively new Java framework that has quickly gained popularity for its original approach to Java application development. Micronaut is based on a fast, lightweight runtime environment designed specifically for serverless and cloud-native applications. It uses a compilation-based approach to generate optimized code at the build stage. This methodology significantly reduces startup time and minimizes memory usage at runtime. In addition, Micronaut’s modular architecture enables various features, including security, data access, and serverless functions. Thus, Micronaut is well suited for building cloud-native applications.

Micronaut is suitable for a wide range of projects, especially those that require fast startup times and minimal memory overhead. Its strengths are evident in serverless and cloud-native applications and traditional monolithic applications that prioritize high performance and low latency.

Used by: Bunch, Trade Republic, WhenThen, Agora Pulse, Loggi.

When you should switch from one Java Framework to another

Practical advice: things to think about before you jump in with your head

It is necessary and possible if sufficient resources are available. It is worth bearing in mind that switching to new technologies will require time and money to pay specialists. Carefully analyze the costs and benefits to outline the whole picture for yourself and all decision-makers. 

It will take time to switch from one framework to another. If the specialists on your internal team do not have the appropriate competencies, it will take time to learn the new framework. Sometimes, it is reasonable to hire new developers who already have experience with the new framework. If that’s the case, an outsourcing vendor is a great option: you hire an expert for the period necessary to complete the task while relieving yourself of worries related to office space, benefits, taxes, constructive dismissals, etc. If you have to maintain an existing platform while creating a new one, extra hands can’t hurt. More information you can read in our offshore Java developer guide.

In the case of a complete migration to a new platform, it will take time to re-implement existing features. This, of course, is money you will spend on what you already have. The downside is that the delivery of new features will have to be delayed. The CEO has a valid question: Is it worth giving up possible profits by improving those stacks? The new framework can be much better at development, which will pay for the resources spent on replacing it fairly quickly.

You have a technical debt, and when few people in the team know how a particular product honor works, except for a couple of guys who are already out of your team, it will take you quite a while to untangle this tangle and reweave it into understandable and workable code. With the move to the new framework, you will have a chance to eliminate technical debt.

However, you are starting with a clean slate, with a framework that will definitely give you more, including integration with great new libraries, plus decreasing development time for new features. For sure you will be satisfied with its better performance.

Cases when migration from one framework to another is a must

It happens your project becomes bigger, requiring more time to add or update a new feature. When the implementation time of new features becomes unacceptable, it’s time to switch from your framework. It’s one of the most common scenarios. Before we go further, you must understand when diving into transformations clearly. There are three typical cases when moving changes are reasonable.

1. Scaling. The natural process of developing any product is to scale it. At the initial stage of entering the market or implementing a solution in an organization, it is designed for a certain amount of load in the form of the amount of traffic and web page loads. As the product is adopted, its popularity grows, so the initial stack may not be enough to handle the load. Typically, the project architect oversees the timely transition from one framework to another. Suppose you don’t have an architect in-house and do not plan to engage them in a permanent position. You can use Architect as a Service and hire from a vendor.
2. Company policy change. When choosing a framework, priority is often given to free software, which has its own niche advantages. Over time, this product (framework) becomes popular among specialists and attracts the attention of major technology companies. As a result, the product is bought and starts to be sold. One, or the primary, fundamental aspect you once chose in your stack, changes not in your favor. Consequently, the need arises to migrate to another framework with similar capabilities but open source.

Migrating from framework to framework also becomes necessary when an application is used for public sector needs. For example, the requirements for this type of application determine the standards of software use according to secure software development practices the government demands to be followed. 

3. Legacy technology. Technology come and go. Often tech leaders waver to replace or maintain outdated software, which is the best framework in Java to choose. However, contending with legacy technology is a tough sell. Staying and supporting out-of-fashion software when there are almost no specialists left on the market who can do something with it is obviously a road to nowhere. The optimal solution is definitely to switch to a new framework of the latest generation. The only stability in the development of technology is their constant change each other, which makes it necessary to keep a hand on the pulse.

How microservice architecture makes migration less painful

The growth of a monolithic architecture is one of the often cases to move to a microservice architecture (or service-oriented architecture). The shift to microservices-based cloud applications is common today. 85% of large organizations with 5,000+ employees used microservices in 2021.

How do microservices help with framework migration? 

Due to its separation into more minor services, when each of those services typically runs a unique process and manages its own database, you can quickly scale, speed up, and reduce the iterative development cycle of services. When you migrate from one framework to another, you can rewrite the system on a per-service basis.

For example, Netflix currently has over a thousand microservices. They manage and support individual parts of the platform while developers regularly deploy code (the number of deployments can reach several thousand a day). Such an approach allows making updates partially. This will not be as painful and excruciatingly long as with a monolith. You rewrite one service, replace the old one with the new one, deploy it, and the project with the old code, and the new code is continuously running.

What Java framework can Aimprosoft advise for your project?

“What is the best framework for Java web development?” our clients are interested when they approach us. It depends on many factors, such as:

• on-default features like profound library/libraries, tools;
• project scalability potential;
• project client-side technologies; 
• a necessity in free or readiness for paid software solutions,
• etc.

For Java projects, we recommend Spring because it can do many things out of the box. The Spring Universe consists of 21 different active projects. Spring is the most widespread. It has the largest community, which means there’s a lot of interest in its development—a vast number of services and a lot of libraries, which are constantly updated.

Spring usually covers all web application development tasks in Java for both small projects and enterprise-level tasks. Additional microframeworks can always be connected to realize individual and unique tasks. While Spring comes as a high-speed template, additional  Java libraries for web development are used for exceptional cases. 

For example, some Java web frameworks are responsible for REST APIs or databases. If you want to make a high-speed application, there are better solutions than using a framework with databases because it will consume a lot of operational resources. 

In case you want to create a web application for a medium-sized system without a heavy load, combo Spring and add-on modules are sensible. Again, the main advantage of using the popular frames is the flexibility of changing your team up and down: it is always easier to change the developer or vendor without damaging the project, as every Java software development company usually has specialists with Spring development experience.

There is an opinion that using open-source software in enterprise applications is not customary. The banking, legal, government, and medical industries rely on software released under a commercial license. However, it’s different. For more than 17 years, we have been working with Java-based web products such as Hybris, Alfresco, and Liferay, based on open-source Spring. These products come with paid and free versions of eCommerce solutions for wholesale sales, business process management (BPM), and electronic content management (ECM), as well as scalable content management under a structured role hierarchy (Digital Experience Platform).

There is an opinion that it is not customary to use open-source software in enterprise applications. The banking, legal, government, and medical industries rely on software released under a commercial license. However, it’s different. For more than 17 years, we have been working with Java-based web products such as Hybris, Alfresco, and Liferay, based on open-source Spring. These products come with paid and free versions of eCommerce solutions for wholesale sales, business process management (BPM) and electronic content management (ECM), as well as scalable content management under a structured role hierarchy (Digital Experience Platform).

Conclusion

If you are looking for the best framework for web application development in Java to implement key features more efficiently and reliably, establish client-server communication, or implement a decent full-stack union, any of the above will do. Contact us today to get a top Java developer level in delivered results.

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