Spring vs Struts: Which Java Framework is Better in 2023?

Introduction

In the world of Java web development, choosing the right framework can significantly impact the success of your project. Two popular options are the Spring Framework and the Struts Framework. This article aims to provide an unbiased comparison of these two frameworks, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses to help developers make an informed decision.

Spring Framework: A Comprehensive Choice

The Spring Framework offers a wide array of features and tools that make it a top choice for developers. Here are some of the key advantages of using Spring:

Spring Security: Provides robust security features out of the box. Rich MVC Implementation: Supports a robust Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture. Interoperability: Compatible with other frameworks and technologies like Hibernate, Cassandra, and more. Dependency Injection (DI): Facilitates cleaner and more maintainable code through dependency injection. Spring Boot: A powerful tool for building microservices and RESTful APIs.

Struts Framework: A Legacy Choice

Struts, on the other hand, is an older framework that has been around for over a decade. Despite its maturity, it has faced several challenges:

Age Factor: Both Struts and Spring MVC are quite old (around 10 years), which limits their ability to adapt to newer trends. Comparative Lack of Features: While Struts is still stable and production-ready, it lacks some of the advanced features offered by Spring, such as Spring Security, Spring Boot, and a rich MVC implementation. Documentation and Support: The documentation for Struts is not as comprehensive or detailed as that of Spring, making it slightly more challenging to work with for less experienced developers.

Choosing the Right Framework

The choice between Spring and Struts depends on several factors:

Choose Spring if:

Starting from Scratch: If you are building a new application from the ground up, Spring is a powerful choice due to its comprehensive feature set. Code Flexibility: If you prefer to keep your code as Plain Old Java Objects (POJOs) without any framework-specific code, Spring MVC is the way to go. Future Flexibility: If you anticipate needing to move to another framework in the future, Spring MVC provides a clean architecture that is easy to refactor.

Choose Struts if:

Simplicity: If you need a straightforward framework that provides only web-oriented features and no extra overhead. Legacy Integration: If your application uses WebWork or any Front Controller-based framework, Struts might be a fitting choice to maintain continuity.

Key Considerations

To make an informed decision, consider the following criteria:

Support, Documentation, and Examples

Spring: The Spring framework has strong community support, excellent documentation, and active bug tracking systems. Additionally, there are numerous examples and resources available. Struts: While Struts still has good support, the documentation is not as robust as Spring's. However, it is still a reliable choice for many applications.

Flexibility and Extensibility

Spring: Offers a highly flexible architecture with clean separation of code and framework configuration. Spring MVC provides robust tools and adapters, making your code more testable and maintainable. Struts: Supports web-oriented features and has extensions like OGNL, but its flexibility is somewhat limited compared to Spring.

Architectural Design

Spring: Provides a clear separation of concerns, with tools like ControllerAdvice, HandlerMethodArgumentResolver, and WebDataBinder enhancing the architecture. Struts: Offers a simpler design but is less flexible and powerful in certain areas, such as handling path variables and integrating with other frameworks.

Conclusion

While both frameworks are solid choices, Spring emerges as a more modern and feature-rich option. Although each framework has its advantages, Spring's robust features, comprehensive documentation, and strong community support make it a superior choice for most projects. However, the final decision depends on your specific needs and project requirements.