12 Best Spring Books for Beginners and Advanced Developers
Kickstart your Spring journey with these 12 top-rated books for beginners and advanced developers. Master the Spring framework with this curated list of 12 essential books for beginners to advanced developers. Covers core Spring concepts, advanced topics like microservices and reactive programming, and best practices for writing scalable and reliable applications.
1. Spring in Action, Sixth Edition
Key Information | |
| Author: Craig Walls | Publisher: Manning Publications |
| Pages: 520 | Edition: 6th |
| Publish Date: March 2022 | Level: Beginner to Intermediate |
| Rating: 4.3/5 | Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, eBook |
| Reason to buy: Choose this book if you want a comprehensive guide to Spring 6 with detailed explanations of its core features and Spring MVC. | |
Why We Chose This Book
Now updated for Spring 5.3 (released October 2020), our findings show that this Spring book continues to help thousands of developers learn the framework and boost their productivity in the process. Spring in Action also includes many real-world examples to help readers learn practically.
Written by the highly experienced Craig Walls, this guide to the Spring framework covers how to build reactive apps, how to develop web apps, reactive programming techniques, using Spring Security to secure your applications, relational & NoSQL databases, and more.
Features:
- Includes four parts: Foundational Spring, Integrated Spring, Reactive Spring, and Deployed Spring
- A comprehensive guide for beginner to intermediate learners, including examples
- Purchasing in Paperback and you also get the digital (Kindle, ePub, and PDF) versions for free
2. Pro Spring 5: An In-Depth Guide to the Spring Framework and Its Tools, 5th Edition
Key Information | |
| Author: Iuliana Cosmina, Rob Harrop, Chris Schaefer, Clarence Ho | Publisher: Apress |
| Pages: 1717 | Edition: 5th |
| Publish Date: October 2017 | Level: Intermediate+ |
| Rating: 4.2/5 | Formats: Paperback, Kindle |
| Reason to buy: Intermediate learners looking for a deeper understanding of the Spring framework can turn to this book, which is somewhat like a technical manual with 1700+ pages. | |
Why We Chose This Book
Our research indicates that Pro Spring 5 is a book for intermediate learners that want to deepen their understanding of Spring 5 with Java 9.
With this book, you can learn the basics and core concepts alongside more advanced topics like mastering data access and transactions, how to create microservices, and more.
This book was also written by a range of highly qualified authors, including Iuliana Cosmina who touts a resume that includes being a Spring Certified Web Developer and Spring Certified Core Spring Professional, and Chris Schaefer who is currently an engineering manager at VMWare.
Features
- 1717 pages long and is practically a technical manual on Spring 5
- Features the authors’ insights and real-world experiences
- Includes a full sample application to help deepen learners’ understanding
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3. Spring Boot: Up and Running, First Edition
Key Information | |
| Author: Mark Heckler | Publisher: O’Reilly Media |
| Pages: 325 | Edition: First |
| Publish Date: March 2021 | Level: Beginner to Intermediate |
| Rating: 4.3/5 | Formats: Paperback, Kindle |
| Reason to buy: Comprehensive guide about Spring Boot, from setup to app deployment, and it offers a hands-on approach for beginners and more experienced developers. | |
Why We Chose This Book
Spring Boot: Up & Running is a fantastic resource for beginners and intermediate learners as it covers everything a developer must know to be able to write apps with Spring Boot, from setup all the way to deployment.
Based on our observations, readers will learn topics like Spring Boot architecture, app and system health monitoring, reactive apps (and building them), and more. Readers will also learn how to debug, test, and secure cloud-based applications.
You’ll also be learning from Mark Heckler, who not only works at VMWare but is also a Spring developer and advocate.
Features
- Takes a practical approach
- Offers examples for hands-on learning
- Learn from code snippets all throughout
4. Spring 5 Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach 4th Edition
Key Information | |
| Author: Martin Deinum, Daniel Rubio, Josh Long | Publisher: Apress |
| Pages: 1692 | Edition: 4th |
| Publish Date: October 2017 | Level: Intermediate+ |
| Rating: 4.2/5 | Formats: Paperback, Kindle |
| Reason to buy: Gives intermediate+ learners code and configuration files that they can copy and modify to suit their needs, reducing the amount of work necessary to start a project. | |
Why We Chose This Book
Spring 5 Recipes is certainly in contention for the best book for Spring if you need code recipes that can make your development process much easier overall.
Our findings show that it also covers other topics, like Spring MVC for web development, using Grails code, working with Spring REST & microservices, and more.
What’s more, this Spring book was written by three experienced authors who are long-time users and advocates of Spring, with Martin Deinum being a Spring Framework contributor.
Features
- Includes real-world examples
- Save time in development by copying configurable code recipes that you can modify as needed
- 1600+ pages covering various Spring 5 topics
5. Cloud Native Java: Designing Resilient Systems with Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, and Cloud Foundry, 1st Edition
Key Information | |
| Author: Josh Long, Kenny Bastani | Publisher: O’Reilly Media |
| Pages: 648 | Edition: 1st |
| Publish Date: September 2017 | Level: Intermediate |
| Rating: 4.1/5 | Formats: Paperback, Kindle |
| Reason to buy: Cloud Native Java is a comprehensive guide to designing, building, and deploying cloud-native apps using Spring Cloud, Spring Boot, and Cloud Foundry. | |
Why We Chose This Book
This is ideal if you want to learn how to create cloud-native apps using Spring Boot. Based on our observations, this book is great for learning about cloud-native principles, Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, Security, Cloud Foundry, data integration, and more.
You’ll also benefit from the experience of authors Josh Long and Kenny Bastani, as both have a proven track record as Spring Developers and contributors to the Spring Framework Project.
Features
- Divided into four sections for more organized learning
- Comprehensive topic coverage, starting from the basics
- Less focus on the theoretical; includes many examples for practical learning
6. Learning Spring Boot 3.0: Simplify the Development of Production-Grade Applications Using Java and Spring
Key Information | |
| Author: Greg L. Turnquist | Publisher: Packt Publishing |
| Pages: 270 | Edition: 3rd |
| Publish Date: December 2022 | Level: Beginner to Intermediate |
| Rating: 4.5/5 | Formats: Paperback, Kindle |
| Reason to buy: Great for novices and experienced developers as it covers creating web apps, using reactive programming, and native deployment with Spring Boot 3.0. | |
Why We Chose This Book
Our findings show that this book is fantastic for novices with Java knowledge but also a great read for more experienced Spring developers. It covers the basics along with how to use Spring Boot to create web apps, using Spring Boot for testing, securing an app, working with data reactively, and more.
Learning Spring Boot 3.0 is one of the best books for Spring, especially if you’re looking for an updated resource on this framework, with author Greg Turnquist publishing this new version in December 2022 after Boot 3.0 launched in November of the same year. What’s more, you’ll be learning from an author that works at VMWare on the Spring team, so you’re in great hands.
Features
- Hands-on approach using exercises
- You will get a free eBook PDF with your purchase in print or Kindle format
- Every chapter teaches a skill, with discussions on theory before moving into examples
7. Spring Microservices in Action, Second Edition
Key Information | |
| Author: John Carnell, Illary Huaylupo Sánchez | Publisher: Manning Publications |
| Pages: 448 | Edition: 2nd |
| Publish Date: June 2021 | Level: Intermediate+ |
| Rating: 4.7/5 | Formats: Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook |
| Reason to buy: Ideal for intermediate learners who want to explore the best practices and latest techniques in building resilient and scalable microservice-based apps with Java and Spring. | |
Why We Chose This Book
This is another contender for the best book for the Spring framework if you want to learn about microservices.
Our research revealed that this SPring book is a comprehensive guide for experienced Java and Spring devs who want to learn about microservice-based apps. Expect to learn about microservice architecture, design principles and best practices for microservices, securing and deploying microservices, resiliency patterns with Resilience4j, and of course, the Spring framework itself.
This highly-rated book was also written by two very qualified authors, as John Carnell has over 20 years of Java experience, while Illary Huaylup Sánchez has an MBA in IT Management and over a dozen years of Java experience.
Features
- When you purchase a print copy, you will get a free ebook in PDF, Kindle, or ePub format
- Offers an objective approach to the topic of microservices within the Spring framework
- Includes easy-to-follow instructions
8. Spring Boot in Action, First Edition
Key Information | |
| Author: Craig Walls | Publisher: Manning Publications |
| Pages: 264 | Edition: 1st |
| Publish Date: January 2016 | Level: Intermediate |
| Rating: 4.1/5 | Formats: Paperback, eTextbook |
| Reason to buy: Offers a comprehensive and hands-on approach for learning how to use Boot to build web applications, bypassing tedious config steps so you can focus on your app’s behavior. | |
Why We Chose This Book
Spring Boot in Action teaches learners how to use Spring Boot for app development via simple examples to explain concepts in a clear and organized manner.
While it would be nice to see it updated, our findings show that his book covers the essential topics, including developing your first app with Spring Boot, testing with Spring Boot, applying Grails, deploying applications, Spring Boot CLI (Groovy), and more.
As an added bonus, author Craig Walls (a software engineer at VMWare) also provides insights from his years of experience in Spring development.
Features
- Purchasing the print book gets you a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats
- Covers Spring Boot 1.3
- Developer-focused guide
9. Spring Security in Action
Key Information | |
| Author: Laurentiu Spilca | Publisher: Manning Publications |
| Pages: 560 | Edition: Unspecified |
| Publish Date: November 2020 | Level: Intermediate to Advanced |
| Rating: 4.4/5 | Formats: Kindle, Paperback |
| Reason to buy: Comprehensive coverage of Spring Security, from basic to advanced topics, making it ideal for experienced developers looking to build secure Java web applications. | |
Why We Chose This Book
Based on our observations, this book is primarily for experienced Java and Spring developers who want to learn about Spring security, including encoding passwords, authenticating users, setting up standalone auth servers, securing endpoints, automating security testing, and more.
Due to the complexity of the topics included, this book is not ideal for novices, but for more experienced devs, you’ll appreciate author Laurentiu Spilca’s experience as a skilled Java/Spring developer.
Features
- Purchasing in print will also get you a free eBook in Kindle, PDF, or ePub format
- Includes hands-on exercises but balances theory as well
- Well-structured and written with step-by-step guides
10. Microservices with Spring Boot and Spring Cloud, Second Edition
Key Information | |
| Author: Magnus Larsson | Publisher: Packt Publishing |
| Pages: 774 | Edition: Second |
| Publish Date: July 2021 | Level: Intermediate |
| Rating: 4.4/5 | Formats: Paperback, Kindle |
| Reason to buy: Great for experienced developers who want to learn about microservices, including implementation with Spring Boot and Spring Cloud with code examples and instructions. | |
Why We Chose This Book
This comprehensive Spring book is an excellent resource for learning how to build and deploy production-quality microservice apps with Spring Boot and Spring Cloud from an author with more than 35 years of experience working for organizations like Ericsson, Volvo, and AstraZeneca.
Based on our research, readers can expect to learn how to create apps that are focused on resiliency, scalability, observability, and security. You’ll also cover topics like building reactive microservices with Boot, developing scalable yet resilient microservices with Spring Cloud, using Spring Security and OAuth 2.1/OIDG for public API protection, and more.
Features
- Recently updated to its second edition
- Contains plenty of clear examples
- Shows alternative methods of achieving the same goals with Spring Cloud, Kubernetes, etc.
11. Spring Boot Persistence Best Practices: Optimize Java Persistence Performance in Spring Boot Applications, First Edition
Key Information | |
| Author: Anghel Leonard | Publisher: Apress |
| Pages: 1057 | Edition: 1st |
| Publish Date: April 2020 | Level: Beginner+ (must have prior Java and Spring Boot knowledge; must understand database concepts) |
| Rating: 4.5/5 | Formats: Paperback, Kindle |
| Reason to buy: At 1000+ pages, this book contains best practices for persisting data with Spring, as well as developer code recipes, making it suitable for beginners and advanced devs. | |
Why We Chose This Book
Our findings show that this is a great choice for novices and experienced developers alike who want to go in-depth on persistence with Spring Boot, an essential aspect of handling and manipulating data from databases and other data storage mechanisms.
You can also expect to learn best practices for batching inserts, updates, and deletes, along with how to exploit Spring Projections (DTO) effectively, pagination techniques, and more.
Features
- A fantastic collection of code recipes for persisting data using Spring Boot
- Teaches best practices
- Teaches the fundamentals for applying persistence solutions to Spring-based Enterprise apps
12. Learn Microservices with Spring Boot: A Practical Approach to RESTful Services Using an Event-Driven Architecture, Cloud-Native Patterns, and Containerization; Second Edition
Key Information | |
| Author: Moisés Macero García | Publisher: Apress |
| Pages: 444 | Edition: 2nd |
| Publish Date: November 2020 | Level: Beginner; must have prior Java experience |
| Rating: 4.5/5 | Formats: Kindle, Paperback |
| Reason to buy: This book is a practical yet comprehensive hands-on resource that teaches developers about designing, developing, deploying, and testing microservices with Spring Boot and other related technologies. | |
Why We Chose This Book
This Spring book is a comprehensive guide that starts with an intro to microservices, including their benefits, before diving into advanced topics, including implementation.
Our research indicates that readers can expect to learn about topics like using Spring Boot to build microservices, routing requests using Spring Cloud Gateway, Docker containerization, using event-driven architecture & messaging with Rabbit MQ, and more.
Features
- Comprehensive guide and resource for developers with Java experience
- Teaches readers about microservice architecture and using Spring Boot to implement it
- Hands-on and practical approach, including exercises and code examples
Conclusion
Java Spring continues to be one the most popular application frameworks for building enterprise-scaled Java applications, making Java Spring skills essential for Java newbies and seasoned Java developers alike.
To help you on your Java Spring journey, this article has covered the 12 best Spring books you need to read, with options for total beginners and some more advanced and specialty suggestions for experienced Java devs.
We hope our guide has helped you find the best book to learn Spring. Happy Learning!
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