In today’s world, where everything moves at a rapid pace, you need to be sharp, agile, and smart in your working style. The same applies to the case of software development, where quick turnaround time is the key to your success.
Gone are the days when web development was only dependent on programming languages and developers had to do a lot of dirty work for developing each functionality. With frameworks coming into the picture, there is a paradigm shift in web app development.
Frameworks have given a new lease of life to developers to improve developer productivity, quality, readability, and robustness of web development. Today, we will explore the top 12 frameworks that every java web developer should learn in 2021.
Now, the question is, why are we focusing on java? That’s because it is the 2nd most popular and 3rd most utilized programming language in the world. So, let’s start the show and explore the top 12 frameworks one by one in detail.
1. Spring Boot
Spring Boot is an open-source framework based on the Maven project management tool and Spring Framework. It helps java web developers in rapid app development. Spring Boot uses Spring Framework modules and then adds a dependency and application layer.
Writing a program in Spring Boot is as simple as writing a code in Java. So, if you’re familiar with Java, then this becomes a cakewalk for you with auto-configuration of all components. There is also a in-built unit testing facility.
However, the major downside of this framework is that you need to know the Spring ecosystem. When you’re working on large and monolithic applications, Spring Boot doesn’t give you the desired performance.
2. React
React is another trendy web app development framework that a java web developer should explore in 2021. Developed and maintained by Facebook and the developer community, it helps developers to create large-scale web apps that change over time without any reloading. The framework is mostly utilized to develop an engaging user-interface for enterprise applications.
The major advantage of working with React is that it provides you with the ability to create awesome UX for your web applications. It also allows developers to reuse the components. Also, React is very easy to use and understand, even for a newbie.
Now, the major drawback of using React is that it comes with abysmal documentation, so developers may find it challenging to learn React in the first place. Another thing with React is that it comes with colossal-sized libraries that can increase your web application’s loading time.
3. Node JS
Node.js is the most utilized framework by the developer community in 2020. It is the no.1 choice of many java developers around the world. Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform, run-time environment that allows for executing javascript code on the server-side. The event-driven and asynchronous nature of nodejs frameworks is the prime reason behind their popularity.
One of the biggest advantages developers have while working with NodeJS is flexibility and scalability. Nowadays, when businesses plan to make scalable enterprise apps, NodeJS becomes the perfect solution for them.
However, NodeJS comes with two major drawbacks: instability of APIs and lack of library support. Due to these drawbacks, developers may sometimes get hesitant to opt for this framework.
4. Angular
Angular is an open-source javascript-based web app framework that helps developers create rich and intuitive user interfaces. With Angular being your front-end technology, you can combine any back-end technology for web development. The framework aims to create highly engaging and lucrative web applications that can improve the user experience on the web.
AngularJS framework is one of the finest when it comes to building UI/UX for web applications. The faster loading time and increased security have made Angular one of the most popular web app frameworks in the developer community.
However, when it comes to SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Angular has minimal options available. Another major drawback of Angular is that it is very challenging to learn for developers.
5. jQuery
jQuery is one of the most powerful javascript frameworks of all time. The framework has been around for a while now, and it runs inside the webpage in a web browser. Developers can use jQuery for creating highly interactive user interfaces. With jQuery, you can perform HTTP requests with the back-end server. You can also use jQuery for validating your web page.
When it comes to cross-browser compatibility, jQuery is at the forefront of that. In addition to this, jQuery is a lightweight framework and extremely easy to learn for developers. It also provides rich documentation of how to make use of various APIs.
However, jQuery is slower than CSS in terms of speed and loading time. Another major drawback of jQuery is that it requires basic knowledge of JavaScript to work with it proficiently. There are major compatibility issues that developers may have to deal with.
6. Apache Spark
Apache Spark is one of the most popular Big Data frameworks. It has a very agile data processing engine and expressive APIs that developers can use for executing streaming, machine learning, or SQL related problems. Spark can be your computation engine for ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) and machine learning, while Hadoop can manage data science queries.
If you talk about the major benefits of Apache Spark, then the learning curve would be one of the first things that come to mind. In addition to that, the frameworks provide advanced-level analytics, which makes the job of the developers easier.
However, when it comes to the optimization part in Apache Spark, there is no facility for automation. Developers have to perform this thing manually. Another downside is that there is a lack of a file management system and the inability for concurrency.
7. Apache Hadoop
This is another Big Data-based framework that has gained attraction among java web developers in recent years. When Big Data is becoming a melting point for every industry, Apache Hadoop will have a vital role in the IT industry. The framework can store and process a vast amount of data. It works on the principle of parallel processing and distributed computing.
One of the major benefits that developers get with Apcae Hadoop is that it’s cost-effective, scalable, and flexible. In addition to that, speed and performance are of the top draws when you talk about Apache Hadoop.
While Hadoop can be a perfect ally for Big Data, it can’t handle small chunks with the same precision and accuracy. Also, Apache Hadoop is one of the most vulnerable when it comes to cyber-attacks, and it can cause processing overhead as well.
8. Bootstrap
Bootstrap is an open-source, front-end web framework used to design websites and web applications. Brought into the mainstream by Twitter, Bootstrap provides you with HTML and CSS-based design templates for UI components such as form, button, typography, etc. It supports responsive design, and that’s why it’s leading the way in mobile-first design solutions.
When you ask any developer about Bootstrap’s significant benefits, they would undoubtedly list cross-browser compatibility right at the top. The framework is lightweight and highly customizable.
The major drawback of this framework is that it presents a similarity in look. For example, if you have three websites and have used Bootstrap in all of them, then all three websites will be similar in look and feel.
9. Spring Security 5
Cybersecurity breaches increased 600% during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as per IBM, the average cost of a data breach in 2020 was around $3.86 million. So, developing secure web apps will be critical in 2021. That’s where Spring Security comes into play.
Spring Security has become the synonym for web security as far as java developers are concerned. The latest version of this framework, i.e. Spring Security 5, comes with new enhancements and bug fixes. So, every java web developer should learn this framework now.
This framework’s primary benefit is that it provides configuration support for Java and backup authentication and authorization services. Also, Spring Security 5 is portable and protects against CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery).
However, Spring Security 5 lacks flexibility, and there is no support for annotations as well. The framework also has a steep learning curve, so developers might be hesitant to adopt this framework. In addition to that, developers have to deal with a lot of XML configuration as well.
10. Cordova
Apache Cordova or Cordova is an open-source mobile application development framework. Formerly known as PhoneGap, Cordova helps developers to build hybrid mobile apps with the utmost ease. Developers can make use of HTML5, CSS3 & JavaScript while working with this framework.
Cordova is the best option if you want to build cross-platform mobile applications. It helps developers to save a lot of time and is easier to maintain. Also, Cordova is highly customizable and extensible; it allows developers to write native plugins.
The major downside of Cordova is its slow loading time, which can ruin the user experience. The framework faces a lot of compatibility issues across platforms and version conflicts with the database. The user experience is also not as good as the native mobile applications.
11. Firebase
Firebase is a mobile application development platform powered by Google. It helps you to develop mobile apps quickly and efficiently. Developers can use Firebase as their back-end for Android or iOS applications.
The significant advantage of Firebase is that it allows developers to build serverless applications. In addition to that, the framework has great technical documentation, and it requires minimal programming knowledge. Also, you can host a static website with a Firebase framework.
However, the vendor lock-in, inconvenient database storage, and minimal support for iOS applications make Firebase vulnerable to developer adoption. In addition to that, the framework has very limited data integration capabilities, which developers may not like.
12. Xamarin
Xamarin is one of the finest open-source, cross-platform development frameworks of the modern era. Owned by the tech giant Microsoft, Xamarin is an excellent framework for developing mobile applications.
The biggest advantage of Xamarin is its code-sharing capability. It has the backing of Microsoft, and it’s highly flexible. The application developed with Xamarin takes minimal time to market, and it also allows developers to track every possible crash with ease.
On the other hand, Xamarin is not an excellent option for commercial projects as it’s very costly. It has platform-specific limitations and a minimal community of developers. Another disadvantage of Xamarin is that you can only use the code within the .NET ecosystem.
In a Nutshell
Java web developers are in massive demand around the globe. However, to gain its advantage, you need to have a basic idea of web development frameworks. Taking this into consideration, here we have listed the top 12 frameworks that java web developers should learn in 2021.
If you’re a newbie, you can indeed plan to learn any of these frameworks in 2021 to shape up your career, and if you’re an experienced person, you can also explore this list. You can update and enhance your skill set for career growth.
This is not a dead-end; we believe in knowledge sharing. What are your favorite frameworks out of these? Or do you have any other in mind that we have missed out on? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Thank you!
