Why Vaadin is the Java web platform your team needs (and how to convince your boss)

You’ve just discovered Vaadin, a platform that lets you build full-stack web apps (including UI) 100% in Java. After testing it, you’ve seen how quickly it can create sleek, modern UIs. Vaadin clearly boosts productivity, ensures a clean codebase, and enhances security. But there’s one challenge left—convincing your boss.

This article will give you the right talking points and evidence, helping you make a strong case for adopting Vaadin. By the end, you’ll have all the reasons your boss needs to say “yes” to Vaadin!

What is Vaadin?

Vaadin is the company behind the web application platform, which includes two open-source frameworks, Vaadin Flow and Hilla, and a comprehensive library of UI components.

• Vaadin Flow simplifies building modern, dynamic web applications. You can build end-to-end Java without needing HTML, CSS, or JavaScript.
• Hilla is a React framework that integrates SpringBoot as a backend for faster app development in JavaScript and Java.

Founded in Finland in 2000, Vaadin brings nearly 25 years of expertise trusted by 200,000+ developers. Our core value remains clear—Provide first-party support so anyone can create modern, secure, scalable applications at lightning speed, no matter the team size or budget. 

Why should you and your boss choose Vaadin today? 

Here are seven reasons why your team should partner with Vaadin today.

#1 Go full-stack and eliminate delays in feature development

Many modern web frameworks, like Angular, Vue.Js, and Spring, enforce frontend/back-end separation in application development. They assume teams develop client-side UI components and server-side logic using distinct technologies and libraries. Hence, they often require you to manage data flow between the front and back end.

This often looks like writing API calls, data fetching/error handling logic, or if-else conditions for UI updates. Developers also end up writing boilerplate code or other workarounds to meet complex UX needs. For example, you may require extra libraries to design dynamic grids, real-time data visualizations, etc.

The increased workload often results in separate frontend and backend teams working with different technologies on the same application. If you are on such a project, you may have already experienced:

• Communication delays
• Misaligned priorities
• Slower development cycles

Instead, Vaadin lets you develop both backend and frontend components within a single workflow. There’s no need to split your resources across multiple technology stacks or wait for one team to finish their part before another can begin. A single Java team can take full ownership of the entire application stack. You get fewer handoffs, less context-switching, and, ultimately, faster feature delivery.

98% of Vaadin users experience increased productivity, with an average savings of 39% in development costs and 45% in time-to-market.

Learn more about why full-stack web development is the future of web applications.

The above illustration highlights how a full-stack team streamlines development by reducing delays, resulting in faster delivery compared to a decoupled team structure.

#2 Unlock the value of your existing Java applications

Many organizations have outdated Java applications delivering core business services. Unfortunately, legacy architecture creates security vulnerabilities and performance limitations, while legacy UI impacts the customer experience.

If your Java project concerns modernization, you must talk to your boss about Vaadin’s Modernization Toolkit. It automates migration from legacy Java Swing to Vaadin Flow so that you can include the latest Java features, W3C specifications, and modern best practices.

Automatically convert up to 80% of legacy code into modern web components, significantly reducing the time, cost, and risk associated with application modernization. 

Your team can preserve key business logic while bringing your software up to the latest standards — all without requiring a complete overhaul. For example, Procountor Oy is a leading Finnish electronic financial management software and services provider. The Procountor team wanted to migrate one of its largest applications, built way back in 2003, to deliver a modern UX experience to customers. However, they wanted to reuse the existing code base as much as possible to retain core business logic. Using Vaadin allowed them to replace their existing Swing implementation while reusing 100% of the existing back-end code.

You, too, can modernize applications without sacrificing performance or incurring high costs. Give your boss a demo with the free Modernization Toolkit Analyzer integrated directly into your Maven or Eclipse IDEs.

#3 Secure by default – peace of mind for business applications

If security is a top priority for your boss, remind them that with Vaadin, security isn’t an afterthought — it’s built into the very foundation of the framework.

Vaadin Flow’s server-side execution ensures that all the UI logic and your application state remain on your server. Your Flow application never exposes its internals to the browser, where attackers can exploit vulnerabilities. 

Vaadin significantly reduces the risk of common security vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and data leaks.

Flow also includes built-in Spring Security helpers that make securing your Vaadin applications much easier than using Spring Security or any other Java security framework directly. Having said that, Flow is fully compatible with all modern Java security solutions like Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS) and Apache Shiro. You can always use the security framework of choice.

Similarly, Hilla uses Spring Security to enable default access control features for all your endpoint methods. You can secure apps without the excess security boilerplate code.

Vaadin also handles automatic updates to protect your application from new threats. You can build applications in highly regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and government without worrying about security.

 #4 Boost developer productivity with innovative AI tooling

Vaadin is paving the way for AI-powered development with Vaadin Copilot, an intelligent assistant and visual editing tool that helps developers build UI more efficiently. Your team will not only build UI faster but also enhance the overall UX experience.

Copilot works directly in your project with your components and custom dependencies. It generates code suggestions and automates repetitive tasks, so you can focus on high-impact features without getting bogged down in tedious work.

Use Vaadin AI assistance to spend more time on innovation and delivering value rather than wasting hours on repetitive tasks and troubleshooting. 

Copilot integrates with your browser to give it superpowers. Changes you make with Copilot in the browser appear instantly in your IDE. No more switching back and forth copy-pasting from browser inspector to CSS files - Copilot makes the changes for you!

Learn more about Vaadin Copilot and what it can do for your team.

#5 Built on modern industry standards

Vaadin leverages the Java, React, and Web ecosystems, providing a stable and modern foundation for enterprise applications. Given the popularity of these technologies, your boss will never have to worry about a talent shortage. Your team can access a large pool of skilled developers to maintain and scale your application long-term.

With Vaadin, you’re investing in a framework that not only meets today’s needs but will continue to be supported by a strong developer community for years to come.

Vaadin frameworks also implement all necessary industry standards to provide broad-reaching integration capabilities and meet quality requirements. For example:

• WCAG 2.1 level A and AA certified components for accessibility.
• Bean Validation 2.0 (JSR 380) for data binding and validation.
• W3C Web Components standard for UI
• GraalVM native image support
• OpenID for single sign-on support

Honestly, the list is endless. Vaadin prioritizes developer convenience, so you get more functionality out of the box and don’t have to search for workarounds.

Explore how to design systems and standards-based Web Components.

#6 Open-source core with commercial support

As an open-source framework licensed under Apache 2.0, your team has the freedom to use, and adapt the Vaadin frameworks to suit your specific needs. No constraints of vendor lock-in means you get a cost-effective way to build applications while retaining full control over your tech stack.

Vaadin combines the flexibility of open-source software with the assurance of enterprise-level support. 

With Vaadin, open source does not mean no support. You get expert assistance when and where you need it—whether it's troubleshooting issues, app modernization, or new feature development. Vaadin offers different levels of commercial support options, including:

• Up to 15 years of extended maintenance guaranteeing ongoing stability and regular security updates.
• Unlimited expert chat
• Bug-fix prioritization

A unique enterprise support feature by Vaadin is the Expert on Demand and Vaadin mentor services. Vaadin technical experts and designers build and complete shorter projects, so your team can learn from the hands-on help. Vaadin mentors are senior members of the Vaadin team who personally and proactively guide the team to ensure successful project delivery.

Learn how Norse Feedback developed a complex dashboard in just four months with the help of a Vaadin Mentor.

Visit the Vaadin community forum.

#7 Vaadin has an active developer community

Your boss doesn’t have to pay for premium support for budget projects. Both Flow and Hilla offer a wide range of learning resources like training, videos, white papers, and blog posts to help your team throughout their Vaadin journey.

The active developer community also offers valuable support, contributing numerous add-ons and plugins that extend Vaadin’s functionality. You can explore these community-contributed extensions at vaadin.com/directory, which features solutions for common use cases, making development easier and more flexible.

A strong developer community means you get more answers to questions, better learning resources, more bug fixes, more add-ons, and better functionality.

The Vaadin Forum is a central place to connect with other Vaadin developers and exchange ideas. It contains an archive of Vaadin discussions from over two decades. All conversations in the forum are automatically indexed so you can quickly find answers in search. We also host regular events and meetups, so keep an eye out for our events page.

Visit our webinars page to access various how-to lessons and tips from Vaadin experts.

Final words

Now go, wow, your boss! Vaadin’s full-stack capabilities, built-in security, and powerful developer tools help your team build modern Java applications faster than before. From automated app modernization to AI-assisted feature development and hands-on mentorship, Vaadin supports your developers in multiple ways. When your boss sees the time and cost savings, they’ll thank you for being the real MVP of the team.

Ready to get started? Contact us for expert support that’ll have your team up and running in no time. Alternatively, head over to start.vaadin.com and see just how easy it is to get your first project going.