What is the difference between @Component, @Service, and @Repository?

In Spring, @Component, @Service, and @Repository are stereotypes used to mark classes as Spring-managed beans. Here’s the difference:

1. @Component:
   • Generic stereotype for any Spring-managed bean.
   • Used when the class doesn’t fit a specific role.
2. @Service:
   • Specialized @Component.
   • Indicates that the class contains business logic or service-layer code.
3. @Repository:
   • Specialized @Component.
   • Used for Data Access Objects (DAO).
   • Adds exception translation for database errors into Spring’s DataAccessException.

Key Point

They function similarly, but @Service and @Repository provide semantic meaning, improving code readability and clarity.