Essential Resources for Mastering RESTful Web Services with Java
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In the realm of web development, the transition towards Microservices is becoming increasingly prevalent. RESTful web services serve as a foundational step in creating robust Microservices that endure. By leveraging Spring Boot alongside Spring Web MVC (commonly referred to as Spring REST), developers can efficiently craft RESTful web services.
Previously, I have highlighted Spring MVC as the premier tool for creating RESTful web services in Java. But where does one begin? If you’re eager to delve into the Spring framework and RESTful web services, you’ve landed in the right spot.
This article will present a curated selection of the finest books and courses that will guide you in constructing high-quality RESTful web services with Spring MVC and Spring Boot.
If you're familiar with the Spring framework, you might have encountered the renowned book Spring in Action by Craig Walls. It is considered one of the best resources for learning Spring, and many Java developers, myself included, have utilized it as a foundational text.
While the fifth edition of Spring in Action provides a solid introduction to the Spring framework, it does not encompass all the complexities involved in creating a modern, fully-featured RESTful web service using the Spring Framework.
Although it includes a chapter on RESTful web services, explaining essential concepts such as @RestController, @ResponseBody, @ResponseStatus, HTTP message converters, and content negotiation, it barely scratches the surface of what is necessary to build a production-quality RESTful web service.
I’m not criticizing it; rather, it serves as an excellent starting point for understanding REST with the Spring framework. However, to develop a real-world REST API or RESTful client using Spring, one must grasp many additional aspects.
Key topics such as filtering, pagination, error handling, versioning, and securing RESTful web services with Spring Security are not thoroughly addressed in that book.
This is where the following books and courses come into play. They concentrate on building RESTful web services with Spring, covering the necessary details to successfully create such services.
Top 5 Resources for Learning RESTful Web Services with Spring in 2023
Additionally, you can complement these readings with online courses, such as REST with Spring by Eugen Paraschiv and Rang Rao Karnam on Udemy. Eugen brings extensive real-world experience in developing and securing REST-based web services, which he shares in this popular course.
You can also preview some free chapters on his website before making a purchase. Now, let’s explore the books first:
1. Building a RESTful Web Service with Spring
Authored by Ludovic Dewailly, this is one of the most current and comprehensive books on developing RESTful web services in Java using Spring.
As previously mentioned, while Spring in Action is a great introduction to Spring, it falls short in delivering the depth needed for RESTful web service development.
It covers the basics, including @RestController, @ResponseBody, and @ResponseStatus, but lacks the comprehensive knowledge required for real-world RESTful web services. Advanced topics such as filtering, pagination, and security are not included, which is where Dewailly’s book excels.
This resource dives deep into the principles of REST and instructs readers on how to implement CRUD operations through RESTful endpoints with the Spring Framework. It also addresses security measures for web services, versioning, and maintaining backward compatibility.
You can enhance your learning experience by pairing this book with the Master Java Web Services and RESTful API with Spring Boot course by Ranga Karnam on Udemy for practical experience. Together, this book and course will significantly improve your understanding of REST API development using Spring Boot.
Furthermore, you’ll discover effective methods for testing your RESTful web services, including load testing strategies. The book concludes with a thorough overview of advanced concepts such as optimization and scaling web services through techniques like caching and clustering.
In essence, this is one of the most comprehensive resources for learning to build RESTful web services using the Spring Framework. To fully benefit from the code samples, a basic understanding of Java is recommended, along with some prior experience with the Spring Framework.
2. REST with Spring by Eugen Paraschiv
This online training course is among the best currently available for mastering RESTful web services with Java and Spring.
Eugen Paraschiv, the instructor, possesses vast experience in creating RESTful web services in practical settings, which he openly shares throughout the course.
You will learn both the fundamentals and advanced concepts, including filtering, pagination, error handling, and security for your RESTful web services using Spring.
Here is the link to join this course — REST with Spring by Eugen Paraschiv
I highly recommend the Master Class of REST with Spring for a thorough understanding necessary for production work. He also offers free lessons, allowing you to preview the course before purchasing, giving you insight into what you can expect from the master class.
3. Spring Microservices in Action
This book guides you through the process of building microservice-based applications utilizing Java and the Spring platform. Microservices decompose your code into smaller, independent services that necessitate careful planning and design.
Fortunately, Spring Boot and Spring Cloud streamline the development of microservice applications, just as the Spring Framework simplifies enterprise Java development.
Spring Boot minimizes the boilerplate code associated with creating a REST-based service, while Spring Cloud offers a suite of tools for discovering, routing, and deploying Microservices to both enterprise and cloud environments. When you purchase the print edition of this book, you will also receive a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications.
Here is the link to buy this book — Spring Microservices in Action
For those eager to learn about Microservices in Java and Spring, I highly recommend the Master Microservices with Spring Boot and Spring Cloud course from Udemy. This course is excellent for mastering Microservice development in Java and has been trusted by over 77,000 students.
4. Master Java Web Services and RESTful API with Spring Boot
This is another practical, project-based course focused on Java Web Services, covering both REST and SOAP. Created by fellow Java developer and blogger In28Minutes Official, this two-part course instructs you on both RESTful web services and SOAP Web Services.
The first part covers the essentials of RESTful web services, guiding you through the development of resources for a social media application, with features such as versioning, exception handling, documentation (Swagger), basic authentication (Spring Security), filtering, and HATEOAS.
Here is the link to join this course — Master Java Web Services and RESTful API with Spring Boot
You will learn best practices in designing RESTful web services. Throughout the course, you will use various technologies including Spring, Spring MVC, Spring Boot, Spring Security, Spring Boot Actuator (Monitoring), Swagger (Documentation), Maven, Eclipse, Postman (REST Services Client), and Tomcat Embedded Web Server. Overall, it is a comprehensive course for mastering RESTful web services in Java with Spring.
5. RESTful Web Services, Java, Spring Boot, Spring MVC, and JPA
This is an exceptional course aimed at beginner Java developers, designed to help them build their first RESTful web service application using Java, Spring MVC, Spring Boot, and Spring Data JPA. The course covers features such as:
- User sign-up and sign-in
- Email verification and password reset
- Retrieving user details via API
- Listing users with pagination
- Updating and deleting user details through API calls
- Securing web service endpoints with Spring Security
- Utilizing Amazon AWS Simple Email Service (SES) for email verification
- Generating and including JSON Web Tokens in HTTP requests
You will also learn to use Postman, an HTTP client software, to execute HTTP POST, GET, DELETE, and PUT requests, including setting necessary HTTP headers.
Here is the link to join this course — RESTful Web Services, Java, Spring Boot, Spring MVC, and JPA
This concludes the overview of some of the best books and online courses for learning RESTful web services with Spring and Java. Although Spring in Action is a valuable resource, it alone is insufficient for mastering the development of production-quality RESTful web services.
These recommended books, along with the RESTful Web Services in Java course from Udemy and REST with Spring by Eugen Paraschiv, provide a robust foundation for mastering RESTful web service development using Java with Spring and Spring Boot.
Don’t feel overwhelmed by the volume of resources; to begin, select one book and one course. As you advance and grasp the fundamentals, you can reference additional materials to solidify your understanding of key concepts.
Other Spring and Java Resources for Developers - Top 5 Courses to become a full-stack Java Developer - The 2023 Java Developer RoadMap - 20 Spring MVC Interview Questions for Java developers - Differences between Restlet, Jersey, and RESTEasy in Java - 10 Advanced Spring Boot Courses for Java Programmers - Enabling Spring security in a Java web application - 5 Free courses to learn Spring Core and Spring MVC - How Spring MVC operates internally in Java - The role of DispatcherServlet in Spring MVC - 10 Concepts Java Programmers should learn in 2023 - 10 Frameworks Java and Web Developers should master - Spring and Hibernate training for experienced Java developers - 10 Advanced Spring Boot Courses for Developers - 10 Courses to Learn Microservices with Spring Boot
Thank you for reading this article. If you find these books and courses helpful, please share them with colleagues and friends. Should you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out.
P.S. If you are new to Spring and Spring Boot and wish to learn in a structured, code-focused manner, consider checking out Eugen Paraschiv’s new course, Learn Spring: The Certification Class, which teaches Spring 5 and Spring Boot 2 from the ground up in a guided, hands-on manner.
