Apache FreeMarker vs Lombok: What are the differences?

# Introduction

Apache FreeMarker and Lombok are two popular Java libraries which serve different purposes in software development.

1. **Purpose**: Apache FreeMarker is a template engine used for generating text output such as HTML web pages, emails, source code, etc., based on templates and data models. On the other hand, Lombok is a library that helps in reducing boilerplate code by automatically generating getters, setters, constructors, and other common Java code structures during compilation.

2. **Boilerplate Code**: Apache FreeMarker does not address the issue of boilerplate code in Java applications. In contrast, Lombok specifically focuses on reducing boilerplate code by providing annotations to automatically generate commonly used code snippets.

3. **Generative vs. Descriptive**: FreeMarker uses a generative approach where the template is processed to generate the final output. Conversely, Lombok follows a descriptive approach by allowing developers to annotate Java classes to generate code during compilation.

4. **Type of Projects**: Apache FreeMarker is commonly used in web development projects where dynamic content generation is required. In contrast, Lombok is more suited for any Java project that aims to reduce code redundancy and increase productivity.

5. **Community Support**: Apache FreeMarker has an active community that provides continuous support, updates, and documentation for the template engine. Lombok also has a growing community, but it may not be as extensive as FreeMarker's community in terms of resources and support.

6. **Integration**: While Apache FreeMarker can be integrated with various Java frameworks like Spring, Lombok integrates seamlessly with IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse for easy code generation and development.

In Summary, Apache FreeMarker is a template engine for text output generation, while Lombok focuses on reducing boilerplate code in Java applications through code generation annotations.