What is a Bean in Spring, and how do you define it?

A Bean is simply a Java object that is instantiated, configured, and managed by the Spring IoC (Inversion of Control) container. It’s the backbone of a Spring application.

How to Define a Bean

Using Annotations:
- @Component: Marks a class as a Spring-managed bean.
- Specialized versions: @Service, @Repository, @Controller.
```
@Component
class MyBean { }
```

Using @Bean in a Configuration Class:

Used for more control or when external libraries are involved.

@Configuration
class AppConfig {
    @Bean
    public MyBean myBean() {
        return new MyBean();
    }
}

Using XML Configuration (Less common now):

<bean id="myBean" class="com.example.MyBean"/>

Key Point

Spring automatically manages the lifecycle and dependencies of beans, ensuring loose coupling and easier configuration.