Choosing a Java framework for microservices can feel… overwhelming. Spring Boot, Quarkus, Micronaut, Helidon, Vert.x, Jakarta EE/MicroProfile… which one should you learn first? 🤯 In my courses, students often ask: - “Is Spring Boot still worth it?” - “Should I bet on Quarkus or Micronaut for the future?” - “Are Jakarta EE / MicroProfile dead or still relevant?” To answer that, I prepared a short slide deck comparing the main Java microservices frameworks: ✅ Pros & cons 🌍 Ecosystem & typical use cases 🎯 When it makes sense to choose each one as a student or dev 👉 Swipe the carousel attached to this post to explore: Spring Boot, Quarkus, Micronaut, Helidon, Vert.x, and standards-based Jakarta EE / MicroProfile — with a simple, job-oriented view: what should you learn now, and why? #Java #SpringBoot #Quarkus #Micronaut #Helidon #JakartaEE #MicroProfile #Vertx #Microservices #JavaDeveloper #Backend #CloudNative #LearnToCode #Certification If you want to dig deeper into Spring & Spring Boot (and even prepare for the Spring certification), I’ve written a full study guide: 🍃📗 Grab your Spring cert Book: https://spring-book.mystrikingly.com

1. Java Microservices in 2025
Which Framework Should You Learn
First?
(Spring Boot, Quarkus, Micronaut,
Helidon & Friends)

2. Why Framework Choice Matters
• You’ll write the same business logic, but:
– Different startup times, memory usage, and developer experience (DX)
– Different cloud-native integrations (Kubernetes, GraalVM, observability…)
• Most teams standardize on one microservices stack.
• As a student:
– Know one framework deeply (often Spring Boot).
– Understand what alternatives exist so you don’t panic in a new job.

3. Spring Boot – The Industry Default
• Pros:
– Huge ecosystem and community; lots of starters and tutorials.
– Tight integration with Spring projects (Data, Security, Cloud, Batch…).
– Mature production tooling: Actuator, Micrometer, observability.
– Widely used in enterprises and cloud platforms.
• Cons:
– Can feel heavy for very small services.
– Historically slower startup and higher memory than native-first rivals (AOT is
improving this).
• Market share (rough):
– ~60%+ of cloud-native Java developers use Spring / Spring Boot.
– Safest first framework to learn for jobs.

4. Quarkus – Kubernetes & Native
First
• Pros:
– Designed for fast startup and low memory, especially with GraalVM native
images.
– Great fit for Kubernetes and serverless workloads.
– Strong support for Jakarta EE / MicroProfile and reactive programming.
• Cons:
– Smaller ecosystem and community than Spring.
– Learning curve around its configuration model and extensions.
– Native builds add build complexity.
• Market share (rough):
– Growing but still far smaller than Spring;
often second choice in surveys.

5. Micronaut – Ahead-of-Time &
Lightweight
• Pros:
– Compile-time DI & AOP: very fast startup, low memory.
– Good fit for microservices, serverless, and resource-constrained environments.
– Strong GraalVM support; works with Java, Kotlin, Groovy.
• Cons:
– Smaller ecosystem and community than Spring.
– Some familiar Spring libraries/integrations may not exist.
– Different annotations and project structure vs classic Spring.
• Market share (rough):
– Popular in discussions, but niche vs Spring (low single-digit share).

6. Helidon – Oracle’s Cloud-Native
Stack
• Pros:
– Backed by Oracle; designed for Kubernetes and cloud-native apps.
– Helidon SE: lightweight, reactive, functional-style APIs.
– Helidon MP: MicroProfile / Jakarta EE model with standard APIs.
– Good integration with Kubernetes, Prometheus, etc.
• Cons:
– Less mainstream; fewer tutorials and community resources.
– Smaller ecosystem than Spring; more manual wiring sometimes.
– More common in Oracle-centric organizations.
• Market share (rough):
– Recognized but niche; low single-digit usage.

7. Jakarta EE & MicroProfile –
Standards-First
• Pros:
– Open standards supported by multiple runtimes (Open Liberty, Payara, WildFly, etc.).
– Modern Jakarta EE and MicroProfile focus on cloud-native features.
– Good for organizations that value vendor neutrality and portability.
• Cons:
– Historical perception of classic Java EE as heavy, even if modern runtimes are lighter.
– Ecosystem is more fragmented across many runtimes.
– Learning curve if coming from Spring’s ecosystem.
• Market share (rough):
– Widely used overall,
– but usage is split across several servers/runtimes.

8. Eclipse Vert.x – Reactive Outlier
• Pros:
– Event-driven, non-blocking model for high-concurrency IO-heavy services.
– Polyglot (Java, Kotlin, JavaScript, etc.).
– Flexible toolkit to build your own microservice style.
• Cons:
– Less batteries-included than Spring Boot; more decisions on you.
– Reactive style can be harder for beginners.
– More niche in classic enterprise microservices.
• Market share (rough):
– Well-known but specialized; smaller share than Spring, Quarkus.

9. Big Picture🖼: How They Position
Themselves
• Spring Boot: default enterprise choice, huge ecosystem.
– Best for: job-ready skills and rich integrations.
• Quarkus: native-first, Kubernetes-first.
– Best for: ultra-fast startup and small containers.
• Micronaut: AOT, lightweight, modern.
– Best for: clean design and serverless/resource-constrained apps.
• Helidon: Oracle ecosystem, MicroProfile/Jakarta-friendly.
– Best for: Oracle-centric cloud-native Java.
• Jakarta EE / MicroProfile runtimes: standards and portability.
– Best for: organizations wanting standard APIs and multiple vendors.
• Vert.x: reactive, event-driven toolkit.
– Best for: extreme concurrency or custom reactive designs.

10. What Should You 🫵 Do?
• Learn Spring Boot first: most used in industry and job offers.
• Then learn at a high level why alternatives exist:
– Quarkus / Micronaut / Helidon focus on GraalVM, AOT, startup time.
– Jakarta EE / MicroProfile focus on standards and portability.
– Vert.x focuses on reactive and event-driven workloads.
• Focus on concepts that transfer: REST, persistence, config, testing, observability,
CI/CD.
• Remember: frameworks change, but solid design and testing skills remain valuable.

11. https:/
/spring-book.mystrikingly.com