Spring MVC vs Spring Boot

Spring is one of the most powerful and widely used frameworks in the Java ecosystem.

Among its many projects, Spring MVC and Spring Boot are two technologies that Java web developers frequently encounter.

While they are closely related, they serve different purposes and offer very different development experiences.

1. Understanding the Spring Framework Ecosystem

Before comparing Spring MVC and Spring Boot, it is important to understand where they fit within the Spring ecosystem.

Spring Framework: The core framework providing dependency injection (DI), inversion of control (IoC), and modular infrastructure.
Spring MVC: A web framework built on the Spring Framework for creating web applications using the Model-View-Controller pattern.
Spring Boot: A project designed to simplify Spring application setup, configuration, and deployment.

In simple terms:

Spring MVC focuses on web application architecture
Spring Boot focuses on productivity and simplification

2. What Is Spring MVC?

2.1 Overview

Spring MVC is a request-driven web framework based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern.

It provides structured separation between:

Model (business data)
View (UI)
Controller (request handling)

Spring MVC gives developers full control over configuration and application behavior.

2.2 Spring MVC Architecture

Key components include:

DispatcherServlet – Front controller that receives all requests
Controller – Handles user requests
View Resolver – Resolves logical view names to actual views (JSP, Thymeleaf)
Model – Holds application data

2.3 Spring MVC Example

2.3.1 Controller Example


@Controller
@RequestMapping("/mvc")
public class MvcController {

    @GetMapping("/hello")
    public String hello(Model model) {
        model.addAttribute("message", "Hello from Spring MVC");
        return "hello";
    }
}

2.3.2 JSP View (hello.jsp)


<html>
<body>
    <h2>${message}</h2>
</body>
</html>

2.3.3 How It Works

Browser sends a request
DispatcherServlet receives it
Controller processes the request
View is rendered and returned

3. What Is Spring Boot?

3.1 Overview

Spring Boot is an extension of the Spring Framework that removes much of the boilerplate configuration required by traditional Spring applications.

It provides:

Auto-configuration
Embedded web servers
Opinionated defaults

Spring Boot allows developers to create production-ready applications quickly.

3.2 Key Features of Spring Boot

Embedded Tomcat, Jetty, or Undertow
No XML configuration required
Convention over configuration
Standalone executable JARs
Production-ready features (Actuator)

3.3 Spring Boot Example

3.3.1 Main Application Class


@SpringBootApplication
public class BootApplication {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SpringApplication.run(BootApplication.class, args);
    }
}

3.3.2 REST Controller


@RestController
@RequestMapping("/boot")
public class BootController {

    @GetMapping("/hello")
    public String hello() {
        return "Hello from Spring Boot";
    }
}

3.3.3 How It Works

Embedded server starts automatically
No external deployment required
Application runs with a single command

4. Key Differences Between Spring MVC and Spring Boot

Aspect	Spring MVC	Spring Boot
Purpose	Web MVC framework	Rapid application development
Configuration	Manual, verbose	Auto-configuration
Server	External (Tomcat, etc.)	Embedded server
Setup Time	Longer	Very fast
Deployment	WAR file	Executable JAR
Learning Curve	Steeper	Easier

5. Configuration Differences

5.1 Spring MVC Configuration

Traditionally requires:

XML or Java-based configuration
Web.xml
DispatcherServlet setup
ViewResolver configuration

5.2 Spring Boot Configuration

Minimal configuration
application.properties or YAML
Auto-detection of dependencies
Sensible defaults

This difference alone significantly impacts developer productivity.

6. Practical Comparison: Same Feature, Different Approach

6.1 Spring MVC Request Flow

Configure DispatcherServlet
Map controller manually
Configure view resolver
Deploy to external server

6.2 Spring Boot Request Flow

Add dependency
Write controller
Run application

Spring Boot drastically simplifies the process.

7. Advantages of Spring MVC

7.1 Advantages

Fine-grained control
Suitable for complex enterprise systems
Clear MVC architecture
Mature and stable

7.2 Disadvantages

Heavy configuration
Slower project setup
More boilerplate code

8. Advantages of Spring Boot

8.1 Advantages

Extremely fast development
Reduced configuration
Easy microservices support
Built-in monitoring and metrics
Ideal for cloud-native apps

8.2 Disadvantages

Less control over internal configuration
Hidden complexity
Not ideal for learning low-level Spring internals

9. Spring MVC vs Spring Boot: When to Use Which?

9.1 Use Spring MVC when:

You need full control over configuration
Maintaining legacy Spring applications
Working in highly customized enterprise environments

9.2 Use Spring Boot when:

Starting new projects
Building REST APIs or microservices
Prioritizing speed and simplicity
Deploying to cloud environments

10. Spring MVC and Spring Boot Together

It is important to understand that Spring Boot does not replace Spring MVC.

In fact:

Spring Boot often uses Spring MVC internally
You can build Spring MVC applications using Spring Boot
Spring Boot simplifies Spring MVC configuration

This makes Spring Boot the preferred choice for most modern Spring MVC applications.

11. Learning Path Recommendation

For beginners:

Learn Java fundamentals
Understand Servlets and JSP
Learn Spring MVC basics
Move to Spring Boot

This progression builds strong conceptual understanding.

12. Conclusion

Spring MVC and Spring Boot serve different but complementary roles in Java web development.

Spring MVC provides a robust and structured approach to building web applications, while Spring Boot focuses on developer productivity and rapid application development.

For most modern projects, Spring Boot is the recommended choice, as it simplifies configuration and deployment while still leveraging the power of Spring MVC under the hood.

However, understanding Spring MVC remains essential for mastering the Spring ecosystem and maintaining enterprise-level applications.

By understanding both technologies, developers gain the ability to build scalable, maintainable, and production-ready Java web applications with confidence.

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