5 Essential Frameworks Every Java Developer Should Learn in 2024
Spring, Hibernate, Spring Boot, Spring Securit, and Spring Cloud are the most essential Java frameworks.
Hello Java developers, if you are thinking which frameworks should you learn to become a complete developer then you have come to the right place. Earlier, I have shared The Complete Java Developer RoadMap and today I am going to share the most essential Java frameworks you can learn.
While there are tens of Java frameworks available for different things but you don’t need to learn them all. You can learn some of them when you really need but knowing and learning the essential Java frameworks like Spring and Hibernate is a must.
This will not only boost your profile but also make you eligible for many Java developer jobs that need good Spring, Hibernate, and Spring boot skills.
While there is no denying that you can get a good Java developer job by just knowing Core Java, Multithreading, and Patterns, hands-on experience on these frameworks can open many more doors of opportunities.
If you are wondering how to learn these frameworks then don’t worry, I have shared both free and paid online courses and books you can read to learn these essential Java frameworks on your own.
Top 5 Essential Java Frameworks for Developers to Learn in 2024
Without wasting any more of your time, here is my list of the most essential Java frameworks that every Java developer should learn. There is no surprise here as I have only chosen the most popular Java frameworks which are used everywhere.
1. Spring Framework
There is a good chance that you already know the Spring framework, but if you don’t know, then this should be the first Java framework you learn in 2024.
Spring framework doesn’t need any introduction as it has become the standard Java stack for developing server-side applications, and it’s expected from every Java developer to know Spring Framework.
If you are aiming to become a server-side Java developer, then you will need to demonstrate Spring framework skills in almost all the Java interviews. Along with Hibernate, Spring is another mandatory skill for Java Programmers.
While Spring is a comprehensive and vast framework and there are several projects under it like Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, Spring Data, and others, you are at least expected to know the Spring core and Spring MVC.
If you have already made your mind to learn the Spring framework in 2024 and just looking for some excellent resources to start with, I would recommend the Spring Framework : Beginner to Guru course, one of the best resources to learn the Spring framework in depth.
If you prefer books, you can also check out this list of basic and advanced spring books, and in case if you need more options, this article also has a lot of excellent spring resources.
2. Hibernate
There is no doubt that Hibernate is the leading Java persistent framework, and if you don’t know Hibernate yet, then you should learn in 2024. You will find Hibernate in almost every Java project, particularly on server-side Java applications. It also provides the implementation of JPA or Java Persistence API, a Java standard for persistence.
Along with the Spring framework, Hibernate is also the most sought-after skill on Java developers, and you will find mention of Hibernate in most of the Job descriptions for the Java Web Developer role.
It’s also one of the established frameworks, which means whatever effort you will put into learning Hibernate will go a long way in your career.
If you have already decided to learn Hibernate in 2024 and you just need resources like courses, then I recommend you to check out Spring & Hibernate for Beginners (includes Spring Boot) by Chad Derby on Udemy. You can learn both Spring and Hibernate in one course.
If you prefer learning from books to courses, then you can also check out this list of best books to learn Hibernate for Java developers. If you ask me, I would instead combine both courses and books with learning Hibernate quickly and in-depth.
Online Courses provide a good overview of 20% of features that are used 80% of the time, while books are suitable for deep dive into a particular topic. If you need more options check out this list of the top 5 Hibernate and JPA courses, where I have shared some of the best courses to learn Hibernate and JPA for Java developers.
3. Spring Boot
I have been using the Spring framework for many years, so when I was first introduced to Spring Boot, I was totally surprised by the relative lack of configuration.
Writing a Spring-based Java application using Spring Boot was as simple as writing a core Java application using the main() method. Even though I have used Spring Boot, I have yet to learn many things, and that’s why it’s on my list of things to learn in 2024.
I recommend every Java developer to learn Spring Boot and if you already know spend some time learning it better. There is so much to learn on Spring Boot.
If you need a course, I recommend the Spring Boot Masterclass, one of the best online courses to learn Spring Boot, from Udemy for just $10 on their sale.
If you prefer books, you can also check out this list of best Spring Boot books, and in case if you need more options, this article also has a lot of excellent advanced Spring Boot courses for senior developers.
4. Spring Security
There is no substitute for security, and in 2024, it will be even more important. Since Spring Security has become synonymous with web security in the Java world, it makes perfect sense to update yourself with the latest release of Spring Security in 2024.
The new version 5.0 of Spring security includes many bug fixes and a complete new OAuth 2.0 module.
Even if you don’t know Spring Security, you should consider learning it in 2024, and there is no better way than joining Pluralsight’s Spring Security Fundamentals and Eugen Paraschiv’s Learn Spring Security MasterClass. two of my favorite courses to learn Spring Security.
If you prefer books, you can also check out this list of advanced spring books, and in case if you need more options, this article also has a lot of excellent spring security and OAuth 2 resources.
5. Spring Cloud
Developing applications for the cloud has its own challenges, and Spring Cloud aims to solve those. It provides tools for Java developers to quickly build some of the common patterns of cloud-based applications, like configuration management, service discovery, circuit breaks, client-side load balancing, intelligent routing, distributed sessions, etc.
When you develop a cloud-based Java application, you don’t need to worry about Hardware, installing the operating system, database, and other software. However, your app still needs those to function.
Cloud providers like Cloud-Found and Heroku provide those services to you, but you need to do a lot of work to access those services, and that’s where Spring Cloud helps.
It provides a simple and efficient cloud connector to access those services by abstracting all cloud-specific details, which means you can access those essential services in the cloud just like you do in a non-cloud environment like you can connect to a database by just knowing the host and port and login credentials.
If you are thinking about cloud-based Java application, like Microservices, and want to learn how Spring Cloud can help you, I suggest you check out Master Microservices with Spring Boot and Spring Cloud, one of the best courses to learn these two great frameworks.
If you prefer to learn from books, then the Cloud Native Java book by Josh Long and company is another excellent resource to start with, and in case if you need more options, this article also has a lot of excellent spring cloud and microservice resources.
That’s all about the essential best Java Frameworks every Java programmer should learn. As I have said, these are absolutely essential frameworks and enhance your profile as a Java developer and make you eligible for many jobs.
Just putting these frameworks in your LinkedIn Profile will increase the number of requests you receive from recruiters as everyone now does a keyword-based search to find the appropriate developers and programmers.
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Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like these Java Frameworks, then please share them with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback, then please drop a note.
P.S. — If you are new to the Java world and want to master core Java before learning these advanced frameworks then I suggest you check out these best courses to learn core Java to level up your skill and master fundamentals.
