Difference between Struts and Spring

Here we have discussed the difference between Struts and Spring framework. Struts was launched first. Spring was launched to overcome the shortcomings of Struts. But after the launch of Struts 2, which is equivalent to Spring both are now being used extensively to develop Java web applications.

Difference between Struts and Spring

To know the difference between Struts and Spring, we must first explain and understand both the frameworks a little.

Spring framework is a Java platform that is used to develop modular, portable and testable Java applications. It is an open source framework that is used extensively to develop applications. Spring is so popular that it is referred as de-facto standard for developing Enterprise Java applications.

Spring handles the infrastructure, allowing developers to create high performing, easily testable and reusable code and application. It is also used to build web applications on top of the J2EE platform.

Spring works on Dependency Injection concept aka Inversion of Control (IoC) component and Aspect Oriented Container Framework. It supplies input parameters at runtime that reduces the coupling between various modules.

Spring provides a framework to integrate OR mapping, JDBC etc.

Apache Struts framework

Struts is a cross-platform framework that promotes MVC architecture i.e. Model, View and Controller. It is an open source framework that is now extensively used to develop Java EE web applications.

Its current stable release is version 2.3.15.1.

Struts is a request-based framework, which means that it receives a request from the user, carries out the required task and then sends back the result. For this it has a request handler, a response handler, and a tag library.

Struts support REST applications and various technologies like SOAP, AJAX, etc.

All the requests are mapped by Controller to a specific action. Action mapping is specified in Struts-config.xml file. It than creates an instance of this action and invoke interceptors. Interceptor are invoked before and after the action is executed.

Model contains the data and the business logic and is implemented by the Action component.

View displays the result.

Spring Struts
Layered Architecture No
Light weight Heavy weight
does not supports tag Library supports tag Library
loosely coupled tightly coupled
provides easy integration with ORM technologies Manual Coding

Resources:

Tutorials

  1. Validations using Struts 2 Annotations
  2. Struts 1.1 Tutorials
  3. CRUD application in hibernate annotation
  4. Understanding Spring Struts Hibernate DAO Layer
  5. DAO Layer explained
  6. Developing Forgot Password Form
  7. Welcome to the Apache Struts Tutorial
  8. Developing Simple Struts Tiles Application
  9. Understanding Struts Controller
  10. Struts Hibernate Integration
  11. Developing Struts PlugIn
  12. Developing Struts Hibernate and Spring Based Login/Registration Application
  13. Struts File Upload and Save
  14. Struts 2 Features
  15. Struts 2 - History of Struts 2
  16. Struts 2 Architecture - Detail information on Struts 2 Architecture
  17. Download and Installing Struts 2
  18. Struts 2 Hello World Application Example, Learn how to develop Hello World application in struts 2.
  19. Developing JSP, Java and Configuration for Hello World Application
  20. Struts Configuration file - struts.xml
  21. Introduction to Struts 2 Tags
  22. Struts Logic Tags: An Introduction
  23. Logic Empty Tag (...)
  24. Logic Equal Tag (...)
  25. Logic greaterEqual Tag (... )
  26. Logic LessEqual Tag (...)
  27. Logic Match Tag (...)
  28. Logic Present Tag (...)
  29. Struts2 Actions
  30. Static Parameter
  31. Accessing Session Object
  32. Access Request and Response
  33. Control Tags-If / Else If / Else
  34. Append Tag (Control Tags) Example
  35. Generator Tag (Control Tags) Example
  36. Generator Tag (Control Tags) Using Count Attributes
  37. Generator Tag (Control Tags) Using an Iterator with Id Attributes
  38. Iterator Tag (Control Tags) Example
  39. Merge Tag (Control Tags) Example
  40. Subset Tag (Control Tags) Example