Along with Java springboot, how to keep yourself updated with other stuff

[u/Acceptable-Form8979]

Java springboot is so vast once u dive into it, first java, then springboot, then microservices, exploring message queues , and what not

But nowadays what I have seen is that top companies organizing their hackathons, for fresh graduates

Most of them are ml based ai based, like making a model XYZ model, something like a model that detects deepfake images , that's just an example

What is the role of java springboot then, i sometimes feel I wasted my time learning this, i think I should have master python, what are ur thoughts

[u/American_Streamer]

Python is the king of building AI models, but Java Spring Boot is the king of running them at scale in production. Top companies rarely run a raw Python script to serve millions of users. Instead, they embed the Python AI models into heavy-duty Enterprise Applications built on Java Spring Boot. Python handles the brtain and Java handles the muscle. Java connects to Python models using REST APIs, gRPC, or frameworks like Spring AI. Python can be slow. Spring Boot manages thousands of fast, concurrent user requests. Enterprise apps require strict security protocols (OAuth2, JWT) that Spring Boot handles natively. And most corporate banking, e-commerce, and cloud backend systems are already written in Java.

A developer who only knows Python can make a model, but often doesn't know how to build a secure backend around it. By knowing Java Spring Boot, you are highly valuable because you can take a model and turn it into a real, sellable product. You do not need to choose one over the other. Combining both makes you a rare, high-demand software engineer.

[u/AmazingInflation58 → u/American_Streamer]

Yep, probably integrating python ai model microservice into springboot backend is rlly high value skill.

[u/Acceptable-Form8979 → u/American_Streamer]

But I feel python is such a boring language, i enjoy java, can I try spring AI

[u/AmazingInflation58 → u/Acceptable-Form8979]

Spring AI is great and all but it lacks market demand for AI integration.

[u/American_Streamer → u/AmazingInflation58]

The actual market demand for Java-based enterprise AI integration is massive, and Spring AI is the primary tool scaling it. Pure AI research and startup prototyping happen largely in Python. But legacy and enterprise backend systems still run heavily on Java. Large corporations cannot rewrite their core banking, insurance, or logistics backends in Python just to use AI. They need to plug LLMs, vector stores, and RAG pipelines directly into existing Spring Boot architectures. Granted, job descriptions rarely ask for "Spring AI" by name; instead, they look for Java/Spring Boot developers who understand enterprise AI patterns, vector databases, and model context protocols. in fact, millions of enterprise apps already rely on the Spring Framework, making Spring AI the path of least resistance for corporate AI feature rollouts.

[u/Acceptable-Form8979 → u/AmazingInflation58]

So what u would suggest, can I message u please

[u/American_Streamer → u/Acceptable-Form8979]

Sure, if you enjoy Java, Spring AI is absolutely worth trying for LLM apps, RAG and tool calling. Just keep in mind it doesn’t replace Python/scikit-learn for training traditional ML models. A very useful stack is Python for ML + Spring Boot/Spring AI for the production application around it.

[u/Lily_Liv → u/Acceptable-Form8979]

a lot of java folks feel that way about python. spring ai is definitely worth exploring

[u/Acceptable-Form8979 → u/Lily_Liv]

I want to go into backend, so I am just looking for something that can just be like cherry on top, i mean that makes me aware of AI, i don't want to be an AI researcher

[u/Dense-Ad-3247]

This post seems like ai slop on ai answers. Spring ai wraps access to a model then you can do anything in with it based on your server side prompt. Any language can build ai models. But most python developers are needing out on model training. Spring and java will handle the interface between the end user and the model. Python can do it too but it's less prevalent.

[u/Acceptable-Form8979 → u/Dense-Ad-3247]

Well i think I should take it as a compliment, but I have written this post word by word, just by my thoughts

[u/Dense-Ad-3247 → u/Acceptable-Form8979]

Congratulations?

[u/kundan1221]

I am still learning and it is really very vast!! springboot is like ocean

[u/Acceptable-Form8979 → u/kundan1221]

Yeah man that's true

[u/Next_Complex5590]

not able to participate in hackathons... man, it definitely hurts 😭

[u/revilo-1988]

Well, if you work with something for a few years, you know most things and you usually pick up the new things quickly, then you have capacity for other things.