Outdated Java Backend Technologies and Learning Recommendations

Many Java learners wonder which Java knowledge is outdated and can be ignored; the author provides criteria (practical use, depth of understanding, interview relevance) and then evaluates several backend technologies.

# JSP – JSP is mainly a view layer in MVC, now largely replaced by front‑end frameworks and “front‑back separation”; recommendation: stop learning JSP.

# Struts – Although once a solid MVC framework, Spring MVC has become dominant; recommendation: start with Spring MVC instead of Struts.

# Hibernate – Powerful ORM but heavy, high learning cost, complex configuration, and difficult tuning; modern projects prefer lightweight MyBatis; recommendation: learn MyBatis rather than Hibernate.

# Servlet (must master) – Servlets remain the foundation of Java web containers and MVC frameworks; deep understanding of servlet lifecycle is essential for mastering any MVC framework.

# Other technologies – Applet and Swing are largely obsolete; JDBC is supported by frameworks and can be deprioritized; XML is still used but being replaced by JSON, so basic knowledge suffices.

The article also mentions a free downloadable collection of programmer books (5000 copies) and links to the original Zhihu answer.