Quarkus vs. Spring Boot: A head-to-head comparison

作者：Samuel Catalano

https://medium.com/@samuelcatalano/quarkus-vs-spring-boot-a-head-to-head-comparison-3b9502c0a345

When it comes to building microservices and other cloud-native applications, there are many options available to developers. Two popular frameworks that have been gaining traction in recent years are Quarkus and Spring Boot. Both frameworks have their own set of features and capabilities, but which one is the best for your project? In this article, we’ll take a head-to-head look at Quarkus and Spring Boot to help you decide.

Performance

One of the biggest advantages of Quarkus is its performance. Quarkus is a Kubernetes native framework, which means it is designed to run in a containerized environment. It uses an Ahead-of-Time (AOT) compiler to pre-compile Java bytecode into native code, resulting in faster startup times and lower memory usage. This is a significant advantage when it comes to running applications in cloud environments, where resources are often limited.

On the other hand, Spring Boot is a traditional Java framework, which means it uses the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) to run applications. While Spring Boot can also run in a containerized environment, it doesn’t have the same level of performance optimization as Quarkus.

Framework size

One of the biggest differences between Spring Boot and Quarkus is the size of the frameworks themselves. Spring Boot is a well-established and feature-rich framework, but it comes with a lot of dependencies that can increase the size of your application. This may not be an issue for some applications, but it can be a problem if you’re deploying to resource-constrained environments, such as Kubernetes pods.

On the other hand, Quarkus is a relatively new framework that’s been designed from the ground up to be “supersonic, subatomic Java.” This means that it has a much smaller runtime footprint compared to Spring Boot, which can make it more suitable for resource-constrained environments. Quarkus also has a feature to optimize the size of the application using the native-image for GraalVM.

Startup time

Another important consideration when choosing a framework is startup time. Spring Boot applications typically have longer startup times, which can be an issue if you’re deploying to a cloud environment or using serverless functions.

Quarkus, on the other hand, is optimized for fast startup time. This makes it a great choice for scenarios where you need to spin up a lot of instances quickly, such as with serverless functions or cloud deployments.

Development mode

Both Spring Boot and Quarkus have built-in development modes that allow for fast iteration and hot reloading of code changes. This can be a huge productivity boost for developers, as it allows them to see the changes in the application immediately without having to rebuild and redeploy the entire application.

Development Experience

Quarkus and Spring Boot both offer similar development experiences. Both frameworks use an annotation-based programming model and provide a wide range of features to help developers build applications quickly and easily. However, Quarkus does have some unique features that make it stand out. For example, Quarkus has a live reload feature, which allows developers to make changes to their application and see the changes reflected in real-time, without having to rebuild the entire application.

Spring Boot also has a live reload feature but it’s a third-party plugin that is not as seamless as Quarkus.

Support and Community

Spring Boot has been around for much longer than Quarkus, and as such, it has a much larger community and a more extensive ecosystem of plugins and libraries. This means that there is a wealth of resources available for developers who are using Spring Boot, including a wide range of tutorials, guides, and sample code.

Quarkus is a relatively new framework, but it has been gaining traction quickly. The Quarkus community is still smaller than Spring Boot, but it is growing rapidly. While there may be fewer resources available for Quarkus developers, the community is very active and responsive to questions and issues.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

Both Quarkus and Spring Boot are excellent frameworks for building microservices and cloud-native applications. Quarkus offers superior performance and a unique live-to-reload feature, while Spring Boot has a larger community and a more extensive ecosystem of plugins and libraries. The choice between the two frameworks will depend on your specific project requirements and the skills of your development team.

If you need a framework that offers maximum performance and a streamlined development experience, Quarkus might be the better choice. Its Kubernetes native design and AOT compiler allow for faster startup times and lower memory usage, making it ideal for cloud-native environments. Additionally, its live reload feature allows for real-time changes without the need for a full rebuild, making the development process more efficient.

On the other hand, if you prefer a more established framework with a larger community and more resources, Spring Boot might be the way to go. Its long-standing presence in the Java ecosystem and its vast community of developers means that there are a wealth of resources available for developers to use, including tutorials, guides, and sample code.

Ultimately, the best choice will depend on your specific use case and the needs of your team. Both Quarkus and Spring Boot are powerful and capable frameworks, and either one can be a great choice for your project.