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Java Spring Boot Hibernate, JPA, MVC, REST confusion

I'm learning Java SE and Spring Boot for a half year now, and watched different courses, and they teaching different ways, and I'm just confused which one does what?
In one course, we're using Eclipse, Spring MVC and Hibernate with MySQL, and writing everything like Servlet, Hibernate configure file, factory, session, and it's just a bit complicated how to do a query for example. In the other course, we're using Spring Initializr, Maven, REST API with PostgreSQL, and it's so much easier, we implementing CRUD repository, and just one line, we can do the query.
And I'm lost at this point. These what I just mention, what exactly we use them for? Why we don't use the simple way in the first course? What we done in the second that I don't have to create a factory and a session to do a simple query?
Is there any post, video or anything about this, for me to understand it?

There are always different ways to solve the same problem. Spring Boot offers you a lot of features to simplify your development. But you don't have to use them. You can always try to implement stuff by yourself. But most of the time, the built in features like the CRUD repository are sufficient to solve your problem.
I can't tell you the exact reasons, why the author of the first course did it this way. Maybe he or she wanted to show the principles, that are hidden beneath the features. Maybe it is just an older course or it is for Spring and not Spring Boot. Spring Boot simplified the setup for Spring and made many advancements.

Spring Framework has been there for a really long time, the ways you have seen are both valid ways, and as far as I understood by your statements is, one way is working with Spring MVC and the second is working with spring boot and spring boot makes things really easy.
You need to understand the difference between the spring MVC framework and spring-boot.
In spring MVC Framework we manage things with configuration files, like XML files and we also fire queries by opening a session first, and then only we can query. But in Spring-boot these things happens behind the scene and that is why it becomes so easy to work with spring-boot but anyhow we still need to understand all this stuff to be able to work properly with this framework.
Spring MVC is a complete HTTP-oriented MVC framework managed by the Spring Framework and based in Servlets. It would be equivalent to JSF in the JavaEE stack. The most popular elements in it are classes annotated with #Controller, where you implement methods you can access using different HTTP requests. It has an equivalent #RestController to implement REST-based APIs.
Spring boot is a utility for setting up applications quickly, offering an out-of-the-box configuration in order to build Spring-powered applications. As you may know, Spring integrates a wide range of different modules under its umbrella, as spring-core, spring-data, spring-web (which includes Spring MVC, by the way), and so on. With this tool, you can tell Spring how many of them to use and you'll get a fast setup for them (you are allowed to change it by yourself later on).
Spring boot is just an auto-configuration tool. Spring MVC is a web framework
Spring boot = Spring MVC + Auto Configuration(Don't need to write xml file for configurations) + Server(You can have embedded server).

Java EE, Spring and Springboot are not the same.
Spring is based on Java EE.
Spring boot is an 'extension' of Spring, especially with auto-configuration.

There are multiple frameworks or libraries which comes with its own advantage and disadvantages, however you need to choose the TechStack that suits your particular application's requirements.
So if you need to build a web app you can use Java Servlet ,but you have to handles multiple concerns yourself and it involves lot of configuration , but there are many frameworks like Spring,Struts,etc which makes the take easy
Similar way you can manually manage dependencies or you can use Maven or gradle to handle the dependencies and building process
Similar way if you need to connect to a Database you can directly use JDBC but there ar multiple ORM(Object Relational Mappers) available which will make the task easier like Hibernate, Jooq, etc
Regarding your question there is Spring framework and also SpringBoot , main motto of Springboot is that it prefers "conventions over configuration" meaning you only need to write very little code to get started and it comes with many starter-packs which basically are pretty much preconfigured, so you can build application easily
Different frameworks and libraries comes with its own learning curve but they reduce the time required for configuration and troubleshooting

Read about Spring MVC and Spring-boot framework. What you have mentioned is first is spring mvc and other is spring boot framework. make you understanding with the questions like, what problem spring boot solves ?? that was or is there in spring mvc.

JPA: The Java Persistence API (JPA) is one possible approach to ORM. Via JPA the developer can map, store, update and retrieve data from relational databases to Java objects and vice versa.
Hibernate: Hibernate is an open-source object-relational mapping(ORM) tool for Java. It provides a framework for mapping an object-oriented domain model to a traditional relational database.
MVC: The Model-View-Controller (MVC) is an architectural pattern that separates an application into three main logical components: the model, the view, and the controller.
JAVA: One of the most widely used programming languages, Java is used as the server-side language for most back-end development projects, including those involving big data and Android development.
Springboot: Spring Boot is an open-source micro-framework. Spring Boot helps developers create applications that just run. Springboot is a JAVA framework.
REST: Representational state transfer (REST) is a software architectural style that defines a set of constraints to be used for creating Web services.

Is it good to build library or API using Spring framework

I am currently building a library or API which will be used by another Spring REST application, below are the advantages I thought of using Spring.
Spring flow(Context initialization->Post construct)
Easy way of reading properties file
Autowiring and bean management
Rapid development
Below are the disadvantage
Tightly coupled, the main application which is going to use the library/API has to import or refer the configuration class of library in order to initialize context
Main application has to use Spring(considering use in other projects)
Is there anything I am missing, can Spring framework be used to develop API or library?
Note: The number of library to build is 3-5 and will grow in future.

The only reason to use spring you are giving, is to benefit from the building of the application runtime.
I do not see it as a great advantage from spring for a library : it is only replacing a few new and set statements, that could be easily explained in a doc, with even some sample bean declaration for the users of your api, if he wishes to init your lib in a spring context.
One of the drawback you are not giving is the support of multiple versions of spring by your library :
what will happen in one / two years, when an old application developped using your library will need small enhancements, but still be on spring v4, but new application will import spring v6 (with no resource to migrate old app on spring v4 to latest version) ?
So i would use spring in a library only if you need to participate in database transaction of the main application (and other tasks like this where it is really convenient to use spring), but otherwise try to depend as little as possible on spring.
EDIT:
Even when minimising the use of spring in the runtime of your library, you can use it extensively to test your library.
The spring context instead of being included in the resource of your lib is only a test resource, which you can use to bootstrap spring-test, for example.

How can I use a Guice module within a Spring (specifically Spring Boot) context?

I have many "legacy" JAVA jars that were written with Guice dependency injection. I would like to use them in a new Spring Boot application but I appear to be having some issues getting this to work. I noticed that there is a project that indicates it is possible to use a Spring Context in a Guice module (https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-guice), but I would like to do the reverse of that.
Should I just drop the attempt and keep using Guice? Spring boot provides some nice features that I would like to use.
In theory this post answers my question, but I am hoping that something has changed or gotten easier in the last 4 years.
Integrate Guice component into Spring application
A wrapper seems feasible, but could lead to other consequences.

Spring project without xml

I'm new to Spring.
The goal is to learn Spring, to use Spring as a production application as it is industry standard.
The requirements of the app:
Hibernate, Security, MVC, RESTful, DI, etc.
The other Spring frameworks might be added in future.
I'm reading "Spring in Action. Third Edition." by Craig Walls.
He gave the examples how to use annotations, but anyway .xml is used.
I'm wonder if I can write the application using only java classes to configure all modules in the application.
I found Spring Boot gives ability to develop not using xml files. However I read the article http://steveperkins.com/use-spring-boot-next-project/ and author said Boot is not ready to be used for production applications.
As far as I understood Boot hides all config work from me. Also my concern is that in future java-developers who knows Spring won't be able to deal with Spring Boot and I wouldn't find proper engineers for the project.
Based upon this I have the following questions:
Is it possible to avoid using xml in Spring or better to mix xml files and annotations?
Is it easy for Spring developers to work with Spring Boot?
Am I able to learn Spring using Spring Boot?
Is Spring Boot is mature enough to use it in production?

Is it possible to avoid using xml in Spring or better to mix xml files and annotations?
Yes, it is. Spring now promotes Java configuration, and it's perfectly doable (I'm doing it) and even easy to only use Java to configure your Spring app. Even without using Boot.
Is it east for Spring developers to work with Spring Boot?
Why wouldn't it? It's well documented, and is based on Spring best practices.
Am I able to learn Spring using Spring Boot?
How could I answer that. Try doing it, and you'll see if you're able or not.
Is Spring Boot is mature enough to use it in production?
Yes, it is. The articleyou linked to is one year old. Spring developers have worked a lot on Boot since then. And Spring uses Boot internally to host their own spring.io web application. See https://github.com/spring-io/sagan

JB Nizet answered 3 answers very clearly. Just an addition about production readiness from my side. We are currently using Spring Boot for an application which we intend to move to production. There has not been any issue till now in prototyping and testing phase. It is very convenient and avoids boilerplate and gives production ready, standalone jar file with embedded server. You can also chose to build war file if you prefer.
"Am I able to learn Spring using Spring Boot?"
As you mentioned that you are new to Spring, it would probably be easier for you to pick up Spring Boot quickly.
To get started, if you are interested, following is the link to a webinar by Josh Long which gives you a really good insight of how easy it is to pick up Spring Boot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCos5VTtZoI

I don't know much about Spring Boot but I know pretty much about spring.
First of all you can use both annotations and xml configuration file/s in the same project. That is the most common way as far as I know.
There is also JavaConfig configuration option in which you don't use any xml files instead you use ordinary java class with #Configuration annotation. I didn't use and not saw much usage also.

You can make a spring webapp without any xml, although spring security was ugly to configure last time I looked at that. For a webapp you need to implement WebApplicationInitializer, create an application context and register your #Configuration file(s) with the context. Then you register the dispatcher servlet and you're all set!

I was nearly in the same boat four months ago when I started working on my web app & chose Spring as the platform after evaluating many choices. I also started with Spring in Action but got frustrated when the examples provided by the author didn't work (Spring basic MVC app not working). Since I was just starting, I was looking for some very basic but working examples. But unfortunately, most of the examples which came along with Spring text books, didn't work straight out of the box.
I would like to suggest few Spring resources which I found useful for starters:
http://springbyexample.org/
http://www.petrikainulainen.net/tutorials/
http://www.mkyong.com/tutorials/spring-tutorials/
Pro Spring 4th Edition
Spring Documentation (must read, but take your time to understand the concepts)
Now, to answer your questions, although a bit differently:
Is it possible to avoid using xml in Spring or better to mix xml files and annotations
Now a days, you would find Annotations a lot in Spring code available on net/SO along with XML configuration. However, you can certainly avoid XML if you wish.
Is it easy for Spring developers to work with Spring Boot?
Am I able to learn Spring using Spring Boot?
Is Spring Boot is mature enough to use it in production?
My personal opinion would be to go with Spring Boot only if you believe it offers you certain advantages which are not possible to achieve otherwise. Remember, you may save time now but later on, it would be an additional dependency in your app and you may need to understand its architecture to debug it if things go wrong OR to enhance it as per your app requirements. Better to have minimal dependencies, my learning till now :)

Considering moving from Java/Spring MVC to Grails

I'm currently using Java & Spring (MVC) to create a webapp, and I'm considering moving to Grails. I'd appreciate feedback/insight on the following:
I have multiple application contexts in the current Java/Spring webapp that I load through the web.xml ContextLoaderListener; is it possible to have multiple application contexts in Grails? If, yes, how?
This webapp extensively uses a CXF restful web service and the current Java/Spring webapp uses the bundled CXF HTTP client. Can I continue to use the (Java) CXF HTTP Client in Grails?
I implemented Spring Security using a custom implementation of UserDetails and UserDetailsService, can I re-use these implementations in Grails "as is" or must I re-implement them?
There is an instance where I've relied on Spring's jdbc template (rather than the available ORM) and an additional data source I defined in app context, can I re-use this in Grails?
I plan on using Maven as the project management tool; are there any issues of using Maven with Grails where there is a combination of groovy and java?
Edit:
I'm considering moving to Grails to make the development of the web component of the webapp "faster," a la Ruby-on-Rails. Also, I'm considering Grails rather than say Ruby-on-Rails, because I want to continue to use the JVM and I've dabbled with Grails in the past and it was fairly easy to pick-up and use.

Probably. Grails uses a sub-class of Spring's ContextLoaderListener class which it configures in the web.xml file. I can answer more precisely if you let me know how you do it with Spring MVC.
Yes. You might even be interested in the CXF plugin, although I can't vouch for it:
http://grails.org/plugin/cxf
You should be able to use them as-is. However, you might want to check whether this is easily done with the Spring Security plugin. I believe it is, but you'll be able to get a definitive answer from Burt Beckwith, the author of the plugin.
Yes. You can also get hold of the Hibernate session factory to do raw Hibernate stuff. GORM can also work with multiple data sources:
http://grails.org/plugin/datasources
Another Burt Beckwith one :)
It depends on what you mean by "a combination of Groovy and Java". You can build Grails projects with Maven, but the integration isn't entirely smooth. If you have Java and Groovy in your Grails project, then that's taken care of automatically.
In response to Bozho, I use standard Grails services + GORM and wouldn't do it any other way. Note that if you use Java for services and the domain model, you won't have automatic reloading of services. You also lose the benefits of expressiveness and conciseness that Groovy bring.
If you want, you can use static types in Grails services to make it easier for your IDE to provide code completion. It can also give you hints on properties and methods it doesn't recognise (which would corresponding to Java compilation errors). That said, even if you use static types, Groovy can't do type checks at compilation time. You'll only find out about them at runtime.

You can do all these things in grails. It supports all existing Java classes and spring configurations (grails is built ontop of spring mvc)
However, I really wouldn't recommend moving the whole application to grails. You can perhaps move only the web layer, if you have web developers that are not java experts.
The service layer, the data access, etc, better remain pure Java. That is, only your web controllers - the components that gather the user input, handle http requests and sessions, should use grails. The rest - the stateless service classes and your domain model would better be Java. That's my opinion, but I have already some experience with grails, and static typing in the service layer will save you much trouble.

2) Yes you can use CXF as is. There is a nice layer on top of CXF called GroovyWS. I have only used it for consuming SOAP services, but maybe it has something for REST as well. It's really easy to use.
For consuming REST services I have used HTTP Builder
4) Yes. You can continue to use e.g. spring config for configuring the datasource, or any other way you do it today. Multiple datasources is no problem.
5) I have recently tried using Grails (1.2.1) with Maven. It works, but there has been some issues with both Maven and Grails trying to do dependency management. The documentation is maybe the worst part. I haven't tried upgrading to 1.3 yet because of some major Maven-related JIRAs, but 1.3.2 is right around the corner, and those issues have now been resolved :) There will also be a 1.3.2 maven archetype. Looking forward to that. "Deployment and resolution of plugins from Maven repositories" is one of the new features of Grails 1.3, so things are probably better. Roadmap for 1.3.2 says release today, but there are 8 issues left at time speaking, so my guess would be tomorrow, the Grails releases are usually on time. If you can wait for that, you will probably save yourself some trouble.

If you are looking for rapid application development but aren't otherwise particularly enthused about groovy, you should look into spring-roo. It offers the same kind of RAD functionality, but builds a completely standard java + ORM + spring-mvc app (which has no actual dependencies (runtime or compile) on roo). It's definitely not as mature as grails, but you may find that it better suits your existing experience with statically typed java code and existing ORM, etc. I've only done a couple of small pet projects in roo, but I've been very impressed so far, particularly with how easy it is to customize the generated code and move back and forth between written and generated code. The initial tutorial is very rapid and quite revealing.