The Importance of a 'Hello World' Example
One of the barriers to entry that I've observed with Spring is the fact that the Spring Framework distribution examples all deal with web applications. Unfortunately, not all developers spend their time on this type of work! Because all the examples and tutorials focus on web applications, it can be difficult to perceive exactly what constitutes the Spring value-add. This is a pity because the Spring Framework "brand" embodies some of the most advanced concepts in computing: aspect-oriented programming (AOP), mock object testing, web services, auto-wiring, dependency injection, etc.
Whenever I look at some new software technology, I always like to see a really basic "Hello World" example. Starting from this base, I can see the benefits of adding more complexity and getting a more in-depth view of the technology. Without the basics, it's all too easy to get lost in a sea of acronyms. I hope to fill this gap with this article. Let's get started with a simple Spring application.