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What is the difference between @Bean and @Component?

Updated May 17, 2026

Short answer

@Component is class-level annotation; @Bean is method-level bean definition.

Deep explanation

@Component is used for auto-detection via component scanning. @Bean is explicitly declared inside @Configuration classes for third-party or complex bean creation.

Real-world example

Using @Bean for external library objects like RestTemplate.

Common mistakes

  • Using @Component for classes you don't control.

Follow-up questions

  • When to prefer @Bean?
  • What is component scanning?

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