Modern development in Java involves much more than writing code. It encompasses a broad range of frameworks, libraries, development tools, and deployment workflows. These technologies in Java help teams build reliable applications faster and keep up with today’s development standards.
Understanding these Java development technologies can help businesses if they are planning a new application or hiring Java developers for their project. And for developers, staying current with the latest Java developer tools and technologies is essential for working efficiently and building scalable systems.
In this blog, we’ll break down the core technologies that define Java development today. This guide will give you a clear picture of the tools that matter in 2025 and beyond. Let’s dive right in.
JVM and Core Java APIs
The Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is central to Java development and is the key component that enables Java’s platform independence. When you write Java code, it gets compiled into bytecode, which the JVM interprets and runs on any system. This is why Java is often chosen for projects that need to run reliably across different environments.
The fundamental building blocks that developers use on a daily basis are provided by the core Java APIs in addition to the JVM. These include commonly used packages like java.lang, java.util, java.io, and java.time. These libraries provide crucial functionality for tasks like data handling, input and output operations, multithreading, and date-time manipulation.
Before exploring advanced frameworks or web technologies in Java, it’s important to be grounded in how the JVM manages execution and how the core APIs shape the structure and logic of a Java application.
Essential Web Technologies In Java
Java is still a great option for creating scalable and safe web apps. A strong collection of tools and libraries has developed over time to support everything from simple websites to intricate business systems. Let’s explore the core Java technologies that form the foundation of most contemporary web development projects.
1. Servlets
Servlets are the foundation of Java web development. They enable the server to process HTTP requests and generate dynamic responses. While you may not write raw servlets in every project, many modern Java frameworks use them under the hood. You can better control request handling and application behaviour by knowing how servlets operate.
2. JavaServer Pages (JSP)
JSP builds on servlets by letting you write HTML pages that include embedded Java code. This was once the standard way to create dynamic web content. While it’s less common in new projects, it still appears in many legacy systems. Knowing JSP helps when maintaining older applications or transitioning them to newer architectures.
3. JAX-RS for REST APIs
JAX-RS is a Java API that simplifies the creation of RESTful web services. It allows developers to expose backend logic through clean, HTTP-based interfaces. As more systems rely on APIs for communication, especially in microservices and frontend-backend integrations JAX-RS remains a key tool in the Java web development toolkit.
4. Spring MVC
Spring MVC is a popular Java framework commonly used for building web applications. It follows the Model-View-Controller pattern, helping you separate concerns and organize code more clearly. It works smoothly with other parts of the Spring ecosystem, making it suitable for projects ranging from basic websites to complex, enterprise-level applications.
Java Frameworks Every Developer Should Master
If you have spent any time building with Java, you know that raw Java alone can get pretty tedious, especially when it comes to wiring up configurations or handling requests. Frameworks can help you simplify this.
Below are several key Java frameworks that developers should know.
1. Spring & Spring Boot
Spring frameworks is the intricate part of Java. Some even go to the extend of saying that if you are working in Java, it’s almost impossible to avoid Spring. It is among the Java ecosystem’s most potent and adaptable frameworks. Fundamentally, Spring embraces ideas like Dependency Injection (DI) and Inversion of Control (IoC) to assist you in writing clear, testable code. This implies that you spend more time resolving real business issues and less time wiring things together.
Spring is a collection of modules you can pick and choose from depending on your needs:
- Spring Core — Foundation for dependency injection and bean management
- Spring MVC — For building RESTful web applications
- Spring Data — Simplifies database access with repositories
- Spring Security — Handles authentication and authorization
- Spring Boot — Cuts boilerplate with auto-configuration and embedded servers
If you’re building anything from a simple web API to a complex enterprise system, Spring has your back.
Example: Dependency Injection with @Autowired
@Service
public class OrderService {
@Autowired
private UserRepository userRepository;
public List<Order> getUserOrders(Long userId) {
return userRepository.findOrdersByUserId(userId);
}
}
Spring injects the UserRepository for you, so there’s no need to manually instantiate or wire it.
When to use Spring Boot
Most developers today use Spring Boot, which builds on top of Spring and simplifies the setup:
- No need to write XML config files
- Comes with an embedded Tomcat server by default
- Production-ready features like health checks and metrics out of the box
If you’re doing any kind of Java web development, especially involving REST APIs or microservices, Spring Boot is a great starting point.
2. Jakarta EE
Jakarta EE, formerly known as Java EE, is the standard for building enterprise-level Java applications. While Spring offers flexibility and rapid development, Jakarta EE focuses on providing a consistent, specification-based approach backed by years of enterprise adoption.
Consider it the official method for developing large, scalable Java applications, particularly in sectors where long-term stability is important, such as government, banking, and telecommunications.
Key Specifications in Jakarta EE
Jakarta EE provides a collection of specifications that developers can use either together or individually, and it includes:
- Servlets & JSP — Handle HTTP requests and generate dynamic web content
- JPA (Jakarta Persistence API) — Map Java objects to relational databases
- CDI (Contexts and Dependency Injection) — Manage lifecycles and dependencies
- EJB (Enterprise JavaBeans) — Still used in legacy systems for transactional components
- JAX-RS — Build RESTful APIs
- JAX-WS — Build SOAP-based web services
Most of these specs are implemented by application servers like WildFly, Payara, or Open Liberty.
Example: Using JPA with Jakarta EE
@Entity
public class Product {
@Id
@GeneratedValue
private Long id;
private String name;
private Double price;
}
You define an entity with annotations, and the JPA provider handles the mapping to the database behind the scenes.
Both Jakarta EE and Spring are robust frameworks, so which one should you choose? We have cover this topic in depth in our article: Jakarta EE vs Spring.
3. Hibernate
Hibernate is a widely used ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) framework for Java. It lets you interact with relational databases using plain Java objects instead of writing raw SQL. It also implements the JPA (Java Persistence API) spec but extends it with powerful features like caching, lazy loading, and HQL (Hibernate Query Language).
If you’ve ever dreaded mapping Java classes to database tables manually, Hibernate is your best friend.
Read the full article here.
Originally published at https://www.brilworks.com.