What do I need to download to start developing apps using the Spring framework?

Question

I need to start developing applications using the Spring framework, and am wondering what tools I need to download to have me up and running.

On the SpringSource website I am seeing all these applications to download and I am wondering, do I really need all this? And what versions should I use, especially for Spring Framework?

• Spring Framework
• SpringSource dm Server Samples
• Spring Security
• Spring Web Flow
• Spring Web Services
• Spring Dynamic Modules
• Spring Integration
• Spring Batch
• Spring.NET
• Spring JavaConfig
• Spring LDAP
• Spring Extensions
• Spring IDE
• Spring BlazeDS Integration
• SpringSource Bundlor
• Spring ROO

What other applications do I need to download (eg. Struts, Glassfish, Apache, etc.)?

Answer 1

All you need from SpringSource is the Spring Framework.

Spring 3.0 is on the way, but for now, use 2.5.6.SEC01, the current production release.

You can get started with a simple servlet container (ie: Tomcat) rather than a full blown application server (eg: JBoss, Glassfish).

The Spring Framework comes bundled with jars for web development - ie: spring-web and spring-webmvc.

See #117535 for a simple example of using Spring MVC.

Answer 2

The best way is to use Maven with your project. Basically all you have to do is edit your pom.xml file and tell it that you want to use Spring. Then when you compile your code, Maven will go out and automatically download the Spring libraries you need from their public repository.

Here's an example: http://pookey.co.uk/blog/archives/63-Getting-started-with-Maven-and-Spring.html

Answer 3

It mainly dependent on what you need Spring for. Each and every piece of Spring can, actually, be used in separation from the rest. You may use it only for IOC, in this case you don't need, for example, MVC and Servlets, etc...

The easiest way to start is to dowload the main package from http://www.springsource.com/download/community?project=Spring%20Framework

You can use Spring from any IDE

Answer 4

This depends on what you want to use Spring for. Typically that's Web applications. If so you only need two things:

• Spring framework (with minimal dependencies); and
• A servlet container (eg Tomcat) or a full-blown application server (eg Glassfish, JBoss).

Everything else is optional. I believe the only required dependency is Apache Commons logging. Depending on what features you use, you may well need more.

If so, here is a [tutorial][1] that creates a barebones Spring MVC project. There are countless others around for that and other topics.

It's entirely possible to use Spring in, say, a Swing application in which case you obviously don't need a servlet container.