Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Apache Wicket VS Thymeleaf

Compare Apache Wicket VS Thymeleaf and see what are their differences

Apache Wicket logo Apache Wicket

HelloWorld demonstrates the basic structure of a web application in Wicket. A Label component is used to display a message on the home page for the application. In all the Wicket examples, you have to put all files in the same package directory.

Thymeleaf logo Thymeleaf

Thymeleaf is a modern server-side Java template engine for both web and standalone environments.
  • Apache Wicket Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-22
  • Thymeleaf Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-26

Apache Wicket features and specs

  • Component-based architecture
    Apache Wicket follows a component-based architecture, allowing developers to create reusable components that can be easily maintained and improved over time.
  • POJO-driven development
    Wicket promotes Plain Old Java Object (POJO) development, which simplifies the creation of web applications by reducing the need for extensive XML configurations and boosting productivity with familiar Java paradigms.
  • HTML-centric design
    The framework allows developers to start with pure HTML and then add dynamic behavior, leading to cleaner separation of concerns and easier markup manipulation.
  • Strong type checking
    Wicket provides strong type checking at compile time, which leads to fewer runtime errors and increases code safety and reliability.
  • Built-in AJAX support
    Wicket seamlessly integrates AJAX functionality, allowing developers to create rich internet applications with minimal effort.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Wicket

  • Steep learning curve
    The component-based approach and the specific conventions used in Wicket might require a significant learning period, especially for those who are new to component-driven web frameworks.
  • Less popularity
    Although Wicket has a dedicated community, it is not as widely adopted as some other Java web frameworks, which might result in fewer resources, tutorials, and third-party integrations.
  • Statefulness
    Wicket's stateful nature can lead to increased memory usage and potentially slower performance compared to stateless web frameworks, which might be important for applications with a large number of concurrent users.
  • Complexity in large applications
    As the size and scope of a Wicket application grow, the complexity of managing components and their interactions can also increase, making it harder to maintain without careful planning and architecture.

Thymeleaf features and specs

  • Natural Template Approach
    Thymeleaf allows developers to create templates that can be directly opened and edited by designers in browsers, making collaboration between developers and designers easier.
  • Server-Side Rendering
    It provides powerful templating capabilities on the server-side, allowing for dynamic content generation, which is well-suited for web applications that need to process templates on the server.
  • Spring Integration
    Thymeleaf integrates seamlessly with Spring Framework, making it an ideal choice for Spring-based web applications.
  • Rich Features
    Features such as internationalization, decoupled templates, and template inheritance make Thymeleaf a versatile tool for complex applications.
  • HTML5 Support
    Thymeleaf offers excellent support for modern HTML5 standards, ensuring compatibility and future-proofing of web applications.

Possible disadvantages of Thymeleaf

  • Steeper Learning Curve
    Compared to some other templating engines, Thymeleaf has a steeper learning curve, particularly for those not familiar with XML or HTML attribute-based templates.
  • Less Suitable for Highly Interactive UIs
    Since Thymeleaf is a server-side technology, it might not be the best choice for applications requiring highly interactive and dynamically updated UI, which are better served by client-side solutions like React or Angular.
  • Performance Overhead
    The server-side processing of Thymeleaf templates can introduce performance overhead, particularly for large-scale applications with high traffic volumes.
  • Limited Reusability
    Unlike component-based libraries or frameworks, Thymeleaf may have limited reusability of UI components, which can lead to more code duplication.

Apache Wicket videos

Apache wicket: 1 start

More videos:

  • Review - Apache wicket: 12 LifeCycle

Thymeleaf videos

Spring Boot Thymeleaf Form Handling Tutorial

More videos:

  • Review - Using Thymeleaf in Spring Boot
  • Review - 4.4 Thymeleaf Standard Dialect XSD

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache Wicket and Thymeleaf)
Web Frameworks
100 100%
0% 0
Javascript UI Libraries
30 30%
70% 70
Developer Tools
79 79%
21% 21
JS Library
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Apache Wicket and Thymeleaf

Apache Wicket Reviews

17 Popular Java Frameworks for 2023: Pros, cons, and more
Tapestry is a component-based Java framework with which you can create scalable web applications. Its focus on reusable components makes it architecturally similar to Jakarta Faces and Apache Wicket (see both above). Like Struts and Wicket, Tapestry is also a project of the Apache Software Foundation.
Source: raygun.com
10 Best Java Frameworks You Should Know
Apache Wicket is a component-based application development framework developed by Jonathan Locke. It is one of the most recently developed Java frameworks.

Thymeleaf Reviews

We have no reviews of Thymeleaf yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Apache Wicket seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 10 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Apache Wicket mentions (10)

  • Show HN: Latudio – a language acquisition app with a listening-oriented approach
    - like Sentences exercise, but you can select your own set of sentences. You can also set goals and view statistics about your progress. None of this would be possible without the great help from hundreds of our contributors [3], who translated, mapped and recorded content. All the content you find in the app was reviewed multiple times by several people and recordings are made by native speakers. No story in the... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • We're breaking up with JavaScript front ends
    Sort of sounds like Apache Wicket (https://wicket.apache.org/). I used it for a few projects in the mid-late 2000s. I really liked it being server side and the concept of having object-oriented HTML (code paired with HTML snippets). I haven't had a need to use it since 2014, so haven't kept up with the project. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Can I use Java to build a website?
    You can use Java for Backend and Frontend. A relative new kid on the block for Frontend is Qute. The general keyword you are searching for is Java Templating Engine. Specific examples would be Thymeleaf or FreeMarker. There are some framework, which offer a lot more than templating like Vaadin or Wicket. Some are just specifications like Jakarta Faces with some of their implementations MyFaces or Mojarra. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Getting back into Java after 12-15 years away?
    Perhaps, a good competitor for JSF is Apache Wicket. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Options for high level front-end frameworks for Java developers
    I have used https://wicket.apache.org/ in the past and I think it matches your needs. It's a simple mvc that focuses on the actual java code writing and uses html only on the layout of your components in your page. Source: about 3 years ago
View more

Thymeleaf mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Thymeleaf yet. Tracking of Thymeleaf recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache Wicket and Thymeleaf, you can also consider the following products

Grails - An Open Source, full stack, web application framework for the JVM

React - A JavaScript library for building user interfaces

Spring Framework - The Spring Framework provides a comprehensive programming and configuration model for modern Java-based enterprise applications - on any kind of deployment platform.

Vue.js - Reactive Components for Modern Web Interfaces

Apache Struts - Apache Struts is an open-source web application framework for developing Java EE web applications.

AngularJS - AngularJS lets you extend HTML vocabulary for your application. The resulting environment is extraordinarily expressive, readable, and quick to develop.