Java 8 is great. Java 8 + Spring boot + JOOQ is a complete, easy to setup web service backend. It has great tooling, is very fast, and has an enormous amount of libraries available.
I actually question why anyone would use Node except in a few cases (like backend for front end), but maybe I'm just old school :)
Developing a web application using javascript and having it served by a javascript platform (node js) makes everything so much easier. From simple code re-use, back-end to front-end, to not having to mentally switch contexts if you are developing back and front end at the same time.
I am thoroughly baffled why would anyone want to do this. I know it's all the rage but I believe it's an overhyped fundamentally bad idea: the priorities of the back end and the front end are so different that you need to think differently anyways.
> How many XML files have to be configured for this "easy to setup" backend?
As the others mentioned, Spring has not required XML config files in a long time. Spring boot requires nearly zero configuration, although it's a good idea to move out environment specific configurations out of the app. Speaking of, out of the box Spring works with yaml, properties, environment vars, command line vars, and the list goes on.
It really is a nice environment to work in, and if you don't like Java there is Kotlin which has worked fine within the stack IME. So many people only remember Java 5 and Spring where beans had to be wired up through XML configs.
No its not :). I migrated from Java to .Net Core because of a cool project (and the requirements for it was to be in .Net Core), and I think it still has a lot to cover. It has some kind of Spring Boot feeling, but with the IDE (Visual Studio) , Entity Framework Core, missing third party libraries, very flakey testing frameworks it still feels like a beta at best.
In a couple of years, probably they'll be much closer. But that also depends on what the Spring guys and gals have to say :-).
Yeah, and for example,Spring Boot 5 is going to have reactive controllers and the Asp.NET core doesn't even have it in its radar, Spring boot is a solid contender.
I actually question why anyone would use Node except in a few cases (like backend for front end), but maybe I'm just old school :)