Introduction:

Java frameworks are the pre-written code bases developers use to create Java and web apps. Essentially, it is like a skeleton that helps developers create bespoke solutions by appending them to their code.

Developers can design apps for any operating system, website, and game using Java, making it ideal for various programming tasks. Due to Java’s versatility, it can run on many different systems, making it a great choice for cloud computing. It is favored by programmers who design Internet-related solutions because of its versatility, practicality, multi-platform capabilities, and safety attributes.

Java Frameworks:

Java’s framework ecosystem is extensive and bursting with brilliant solutions for every taste. Java EE-based, Kubernetes-native, cloud-native, modular or full-stack, as well as microservices-based, lightweight, DevOps-friendly, and cloud-friendly options are all available. You can find microframeworks, integrated frameworks, and frameworks that can be used as libraries and integrated with other libraries, as well as those that are easy to use, fast, efficient, Kotlin-ready, compatible.

Traditionally, Java developers write useful software using frameworks. Developers are expected to adopt the same approach in cloud computing as well. Some of the frameworks for the purpose used are:

• Spring Boot
• Quarkus
• Hibernate
• Grails
• JavaServer Faces (JSF)
• Google Web Toolkit (GWT)
• Apache Struts
• Blade
• Play
• Vaadin
• Dropwizard

Spring Boot And Its Advantages:

The Spring Boot framework for Java was released in 2002 and is an open-source, microservice-based web framework. It is designed to empower developers to create production-grade Spring applications that can be automatically configured.

Among the most widely used, well-accepted, lightweight, and top-rated cloud frameworks available for Java, Spring is one of the best. Its design suits distinct patterns of distributed applications, making the development of services and applications easy and reliable. Spring can test both the application and its backward compatibility and provide XML configuration support. With Spring, applications are less prone to errors and are thus more reliable. Furthermore, Spring Cloud integrates well with popular PaaS providers like Cloud Foundry, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Azure.

Advantages:

• Offers evolvable microservices.
• Spring’s non-blocking asynchronous architecture can maximize computing resources.
• Spring code can work with any cloud and can connect and scale any platform. To make the code cloud-native, it must consider 12-factor issues such as external configuration, statelessness, and logging. The Spring Cloud suite of projects entails several support services needed to make cloud-native applications run.
• Provides frameworks for creating fast, protected, and responsive web applications, reducing development time.
• Modern cloud computing allows you to run serverless applications without worrying about resource allocation, security, and other server-related elements. You can scale up and down on-demand using reactive actions.
• In Spring, everything is auto-configured, repudiating manual configurations.
• Streamlines dependency management.
• Incorporates Embedded Servlet Container

Quarkus And Its Advantages

Launched in 2019, Quarkus is a Kubernetes-native Java framework constructed from top-of-the-line Java libraries and standards. It is design is suitable for a modern Kubernetes-and cloud-native environment to achieve top-notch performance. Utilizing hundreds of leading-edge libraries, Quarkus provides a uniform, easy-to-use and full-stack framework.

Quarkus was designed for Java programs to run in containers, and it seeks to establish Java as a leading platform for Kubernetes and serverless environments. It’s design is such that it’s suitable for cloud, serverless and containerized environments.

Quarkus is an open community where contributors can express their opinions, ideas and contributions in the open, and discussions and ideations occur openly. With Quarkus, deploying an application is exceptionally straightforward, and you don’t have to be familiar with the complexities of Kubernetes for it. It allows developers to create Kubernetes resources automatically, without manually generating YAML files.

Advantages:

• Quick startup times.
• Low memory footprint. This also contributes to a more satisfactory user experience and cost-effectiveness.
• Performance advancements of Java apps.
• Enhanced developer productivity. It improves developers’ efficacy with tools to assist them in developing at a faster pace.
• With Mandrel, Quarkus provides native compilation and running of Java applications. This qualifies Quarkus apps to run as fast as Go or Node applications, something that was previously not attainable with Java.
• Developers can code live with Quarkus, meaning they can promptly run, edit and switch it over to a HotSpot JVM running on the cloud.
• Due to its proficiency in automatically detecting modifications made to Java and other resources/ configuration files, Quarkus delivers prompt hot reloads. Quarkus applications running in a remote environment can also take advantage of this attribute.

Is Quarkus really a worthy alternative to Spring/ Spring Boot for cloud environments?

Both frameworks have their own advantages and limitations. Although Quarkus is a framework that was built based on two decades of research and development, it is relatively new but bubbling with innovations and modifications; in contrast, Spring Boot has been in the market for 20 years and has stood the test of time.

Despite being a leading open-source Java framework, Spring Boot couldn’t cater to the need of the hour, which is faster performance. Spring Boot usually needs more memory than its descendant, Quarkus, and has longer boot times. Yet there are fields where Spring Boot excels while Quarkus fails to score a goal. With Spring Boot’s outstanding community support, it is possible to locate almost any solution through its community pages. It offers template design patterns, is more secure than Quarkus and delivers quicker I/O operations.

Quarkus, on the other hand, has many benefits, but not every Java application can benefit from them. In addition, Quarkus isn’t suited for migrating monolithic Java applications that must run round the clock. Quarkus also offers limited community support and resources for beginners. However, Quarkus’ superior and expeditious features, along with modifications and upgradation, these complexities, too, could be resolved.

Final thoughts:

Modern frameworks will always strive to be more promising and perform better than their predecessors; they will always strive to be more efficient than their forerunners. However, they will have their share of flaws, too. So, to answer if Quarkus is a worthy alternative to Spring Boot or not will require some more observation and time. Meanwhile, if you are skeptical about which framework to use for your project, consider your technological inclinations, the tools you would like to employ, developers’ skill set, and the project’s specifications.

Mindfire Solutions is an IT service provider that helps companies make the most of Cloud Platforms and augment their revenue. Among the services our company provides are Cloud Application Development, Cloud Migration, Hybrid and multi-cloud and Cloud Strategy & Consulting. We have a team of highly skilled and certified software professionals, who have developed many custom solutions for our global clients over the years.