How to select the right version of spring, struts and hibernate, what's the difference?

Question

I want to select the lastest frameworks to integrate spring, struts and hibernate, but seems that there are so many versions out there, and their api are different too, so I was confused that how can I select the right version to integrate them ? And What's the differences between them ?

For example, can I have the following integration: Spring Framework 3.0 Struts 2.0 Hibernate 3.2

As I am new to these frameworks, please point me the right direction, and let me know how can I select the right version to work on?

Thanks in advance !

Answer 1

Here is what I do hope it helps others (first how I set up in Netbeans, at the end is a pom for the general approach).

Note when I say add a certain jar I mean, in Netbeans:

• Right click Dependencies, Select "Add Dependency..."
• In the Query field ender the first part the jar not including the version, ie for: spring-orm-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar just enter spring-orm, the search will show several different results but only "org.springframework : spring-orm" contains version 3.0.5.RELEASE so that is the one to use... If this seems too wishy washy, the pom in this answer provides the exact co-ordinates so feel free to use those.

Create a new Maven Web application. Follow: http://struts.apache.org/2.2.1.1/docs/create-struts-2-web-application-using-maven-to-manage-artifacts-and-to-build-the-application.html

add stuts2-spring-plugin (v 2.2.1.1) - this then adds a number of unneeded jars in the 2.5 series, right click these files and exclude them. - now add the following:

spring-orm-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar   
spring-tx-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar
spring-web-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar
slf4j-log412-1.5.5.jar (NOTE: there are later version but you must use this version)

I always add struts2-convention-plugin-2.2.1.1.jar (but this is optional).

For hibernate dependencies add:

hibernate-annotation-3.5.1-Final.jar
hibernate-entitymanager-3.5.1-Final.jar
hibernate-jpamodelgen-1.1.1.Final.jar    

Here is my pom:

<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>

    <groupId>com.aerose</groupId>
    <artifactId>PartGroupMaster</artifactId>
    <version>2011.04.12</version>
    <packaging>war</packaging>

    <name>PartGroupMaster Web App</name>

    <properties>
        <endorsed.dir>${project.build.directory}/endorsed</endorsed.dir>
        <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
        <netbeans.hint.deploy.server>gfv3ee6</netbeans.hint.deploy.server>
    </properties>

    <repositories>
        <repository>
            <id>JBoss Repo</id>
            <url>http://repository.jboss.com/maven2</url>
            <name>JBoss Repo</name>
        </repository>
        <repository>
            <id>ibiblio mirror</id>
            <url>http://mirrors.ibiblio.org/pub/mirrors/maven2/</url>
        </repository>
        <repository>
            <id>jboss-public-repository-group</id>
            <name>JBoss Public Maven Repository Group</name>
            <url>https://repository.jboss.org/nexus/content/groups/public/</url>
            <layout>default</layout>
            <releases>
                <enabled>true</enabled>
                <updatePolicy>never</updatePolicy>
            </releases>
            <snapshots>
                <enabled>true</enabled>
                <updatePolicy>never</updatePolicy>
            </snapshots>
        </repository>
        <repository>
            <url>http://ftp.ing.umu.se/mirror/eclipse/rt/eclipselink/maven.repo</url>
            <id>eclipselink</id>
            <layout>default</layout>
            <name>Repository for library Library[eclipselink]</name>
        </repository>
    </repositories>

    <dependencies>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.struts</groupId>
            <artifactId>struts2-core</artifactId>
            <version>2.2.1.1</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>javassist</groupId>
            <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
            <version>3.8.0.GA</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>log4j</groupId>
            <artifactId>log4j</artifactId>
            <version>1.2.14</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.struts</groupId>
            <artifactId>struts2-convention-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>2.2.1.1</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.struts</groupId>
            <artifactId>struts2-spring-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>2.2.1.1</version>
            <exclusions>
                <exclusion>
                    <artifactId>spring-beans</artifactId>
                    <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
                </exclusion>
                <exclusion>
                    <artifactId>spring-context</artifactId>
                    <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
                </exclusion>
                <exclusion>
                    <artifactId>spring-core</artifactId>
                    <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
                </exclusion>
                <exclusion>
                    <artifactId>spring-web</artifactId>
                    <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
                </exclusion>
            </exclusions>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-tx</artifactId>
            <version>3.0.5.RELEASE</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-orm</artifactId>
            <version>3.0.5.RELEASE</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-web</artifactId>
            <version>3.0.5.RELEASE</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
            <artifactId>hibernate-validator</artifactId>
            <version>4.0.2.GA</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>mysql</groupId>
            <artifactId>mysql-connector-java</artifactId>
            <version>5.1.15</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
            <artifactId>slf4j-log4j12</artifactId>
            <version>1.5.5</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
            <artifactId>hibernate-annotations</artifactId>
            <version>3.5.1-Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
            <artifactId>hibernate-entitymanager</artifactId>
            <version>3.5.1-Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.apache.struts</groupId>
            <artifactId>struts2-config-browser-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>2.2.1.1</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.eclipse.persistence</groupId>
            <artifactId>javax.persistence</artifactId>
            <version>2.0.3</version>
            <scope>provided</scope>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
            <artifactId>hibernate-jpamodelgen</artifactId>
            <version>1.1.1.Final</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>javax</groupId>
            <artifactId>javaee-web-api</artifactId>
            <version>6.0</version>
            <scope>provided</scope>
        </dependency>

        <dependency>
            <groupId>junit</groupId>
            <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
            <version>4.8.1</version>
            <scope>test</scope>
        </dependency>
    </dependencies>

    <build>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>2.3.2</version>
                <configuration>
                    <source>1.6</source>
                    <target>1.6</target>
                    <compilerArguments>
                        <endorseddirs>${endorsed.dir}</endorseddirs>
                    </compilerArguments>
                </configuration>
            </plugin>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                <artifactId>maven-war-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>2.1</version>
                <configuration>
                    <failOnMissingWebXml>false</failOnMissingWebXml>
                </configuration>
            </plugin>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                <artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>2.1</version>
                <executions>
                    <execution>
                        <phase>validate</phase>
                        <goals>
                            <goal>copy</goal>
                        </goals>
                        <configuration>
                            <outputDirectory>${endorsed.dir}</outputDirectory>
                            <silent>true</silent>
                            <artifactItems>
                                <artifactItem>
                                    <groupId>javax</groupId>
                                    <artifactId>javaee-endorsed-api</artifactId>
                                    <version>6.0</version>
                                    <type>jar</type>
                                </artifactItem>
                            </artifactItems>
                        </configuration>
                    </execution>
                </executions>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
        <finalName>PartGroupMaster</finalName>
    </build>
</project>

This provides a rather current version of Struts2, Spring and Hibernate. Then comes the fun of configuring the configuration files... but that's for another question.