How to Build Java Applications Today?

Java Developers Pick More Technologies & Tools More Often
Are you confused as well? Life has gotten harder for us Java developers:
- Shift-left testing and DevOps have taken hold. So we now worry about testing, running, and supporting our applications.
- Microservices free us to choose different technology stacks for our Java back-ends.
- Front-ends were once part of our Java applications. Now we build separate front-end applications. That’s Single Page Applications (SPA) for the web and mobile apps on iOS & Android.
- We can replace components in our environments with cloud components. Then cloud vendors worry about coding, testing, running, and supporting them. So we can subsitute our time for money!
- We have more alternatives. There are many Java distributions, Spring has competition again, and NoSQL can store our data. And in web and mobile, tools & technologies always develop at a breakneck speed.
- The update speed has increased: Where a new major Java version came out every 3-5 years, now it’s every six months! Typescript even releases 4-6 versions a year.
So yes, we Java developers do pick more technologies & tools more often today. So which do we pick to build Java applications?

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My Picks for Java Technologies & Tools
Here’s my list of technologies & tools for building Java applications today. I hope it inspires you to explore new avenues for your projects! Sign up to my weekly newsletter on how to build Java applications today to receive updates on my picks.
Disclaimer: This list is for informational purposes only! You need to evaluate technologies & tools yourself before applying them in your projects.
Back-End Picks
Category | Java Back-End | |
---|---|---|
Winner | Runner-Up | |
IDE | IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate ($) | Eclipse IDE for Enterprise Java Developers |
Version Control | Git | — |
Build Tool | Gradle | Maven |
Application Generator | JHipster | Spring Boot |
Framework | Spring | Eclipse MicroPofile |
Runtime | AdoptOpenJDK HotSpot | AdoptOpenJDK OpenJ9 |
Notable libraries | JaVers, Apache POI, Apache PDFBox | |
Data Storage | PostgreSQL | MySQL |
Unit Tests | JUnit | — |
Integration Tests | JUnit | — |
Simple Deployment | Docker Compose | Fat JAR |
Complex Deployment | Kubernetes | AWS |
Notable Tools | SDKMAN! |
Front-End Picks
Category | Web Front-End | |
---|---|---|
Winner | Runner-Up | |
IDE | IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate ($) | Eclipse IDE for Enterprise Java Developers |
Version Control | Git | — |
Build Tool | npm | yarn |
Application Generator | JHipster | — |
Framework | React | Angular |
Runtime | Typescript | JavaScript |
Notable libraries | ag-Grid, Firebase Authentication, Uppy | |
Data Storage | IndexedDB | Web Storage |
Unit Tests | Cypress | Jest |
Cypress | Jest | |
End-to-End Tests | Cypress | Protractor |
Simple Deployment | Angular CLI | Webpack |
Notable Tools | Homebrew |
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