No, RestTemplate will continue to exist (at least for now). You don't have to replace it with WebClient.
One of the main differences is RestTemplate is synchronous and blocking i.e. when you do a rest call you need to wait till the response comes back to proceed further.
But WebClient is complete opposite of this. The caller need not wait till response comes back. Instead he will be notified when there is a response.
If you need such a functionality, then yes you need to replace your Resttemplate with WebClient.
You can in fact achieve Rest template like synchronous processing in webclient using .block(). But the other way is not possible.
EDIT:
RestTemplate is marked as feature complete in future version(> 5.0) and will not have new features added going forward
Answer from pvpkiran on Stack OverflowBaeldung
baeldung.com › home › http client-side › spring webclient vs. resttemplate
Spring WebClient vs. RestTemplate | Baeldung
May 11, 2024 - On the other side, WebClient uses ... Spring Reactive framework. While RestTemplate uses the caller thread for each event (HTTP call), WebClient will create something like a “task” for each event....
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › advance java › spring-webclient-vs-resttemplate
Spring - WebClient vs RestTemplate - GeeksforGeeks
July 9, 2026 - While RestTemplate provides a traditional synchronous and blocking approach, WebClient offers a modern reactive and non-blocking programming model designed for high-performance applications.
RestClient vs. WebClient vs RestTemplate - Using the suitable library to call REST API in Spring Boot
Databrokers? nope. Social networks? Also nope. This post was deleted using Redact . fade aware public salt sip resolute truck childlike theory absorbed More on reddit.com
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February 7, 2025A comparison between RestClient, WebClient, and RestTemplate libraries for calling REST APIs in Spring Boot applications including recommendations on which one is the right choice for different s
On the section 'Final comparison and advice' OTEL support is yellow for WebClient and RestClient. Why is that? What features are missing from those 2 that are present in RestTemplate(green) Thanks for a great blog post! More on reddit.com
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January 8, 2024Spring WebClient vs RestTemplate
It would probably be good to know both - primarily because legacy codebase will be using restemplate, but look to use webclient for new projects (bonus points if you can convert applications from restemplate to webclient). As far as tutorials go, baeldung.com has generally very good tutorials for java and spring, and they even have one that talks about the differences https://www.baeldung.com/spring-webclient-resttemplate More on reddit.com
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November 8, 2021When to use Open Feign and when not?
RestTemplate is not deprecated, it's feature complete meaning it will not longer have more features. It's fine to use it with spring boot 3 More on reddit.com
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April 28, 2024RestClient vs WebClient vs RestTemplate
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WebClient vs. RestTemplate: A Comparison for Modern Java Development ...
26 RestTemplate vs Web Client
04:43
Difference between RestClient, RestTemplate, WebClient - YouTube
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Spring RestTemplate vs WebClient or Java HttpClient - YouTube
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No, RestTemplate will continue to exist (at least for now). You don't have to replace it with WebClient.
One of the main differences is RestTemplate is synchronous and blocking i.e. when you do a rest call you need to wait till the response comes back to proceed further.
But WebClient is complete opposite of this. The caller need not wait till response comes back. Instead he will be notified when there is a response.
If you need such a functionality, then yes you need to replace your Resttemplate with WebClient.
You can in fact achieve Rest template like synchronous processing in webclient using .block(). But the other way is not possible.
EDIT:
RestTemplate is marked as feature complete in future version(> 5.0) and will not have new features added going forward
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According to the Java Doc the RestTemplate will be in maintenance mode. Spring team advise to use the WebClient if possible:
NOTE: As of 5.0, the non-blocking, reactive org.springframework.web.reactive.client.WebClient offers a modern alternative to the RestTemplate with efficient support for both sync and async, as well as streaming scenarios. The RestTemplate will be deprecated in a future version and will not have major new features added going forward.
Medium
medium.com › @sunda.nitsri › rest-client-vs-webclient-vs-resttemplate-choosing-the-right-http-client-in-spring-boot-4937c67858b4
REST Client vs WebClient vs RestTemplate: Choosing the Right HTTP Client in Spring Boot | by Pankaj Sunda | Medium
March 28, 2025 - Use WebClient for Spring WebFlux applications and cases where you need high concurrency and non-blocking behavior. Avoid RestTemplate unless you are maintaining a legacy application.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/springboot › restclient vs. webclient vs resttemplate - using the suitable library to call rest api in spring boot
r/SpringBoot on Reddit: RestClient vs. WebClient vs RestTemplate - Using the suitable library to call REST API in Spring Boot
February 7, 2025 - RestTemplate isn't deprecated, but isn't being worked on. Use something else. ... Deprecated by Spring 4 for anyone reading this after late 2025. ... Used Webclient with the block statement in some project but now that this project is upgraded to Spring Framework 6.1 it can be replaced with the new RestClient.
Medium
medium.com › @rakesh.mali › restclient-vs-webclient-vs-resttemplate-a-comprehensive-guide-6b150df476dd
RestClient vs. WebClient vs. RestTemplate: A Comprehensive Guide | by Rakesh Mali | Medium
March 7, 2025 - For new projects, it is best to use RestClient for synchronous calls and WebClient for reactive needs. This ensures better scalability, maintainability, and performance in your Spring Boot applications.
Medium
medium.com › @kmrpushkar09 › spring-webclient-vs-resttemplate-whats-better-in-2023-99844f649b53
Spring WebClient vs RestTemplate: What’s better in 2026? | by Pushkar Kumar | Medium
February 9, 2026 - WebClient is the preferred way for future-proof applications, RestTemplate seems to stay here for a long though without any major feature addition.
DZone
dzone.com › coding › frameworks › resttemplate vs. webclient
RestTemplate vs. WebClient
June 16, 2022 - RestTemplate is the central class within the Spring framework for executing synchronous HTTP requests on the client side. WebClient is a reactive client for performing HTTP requests with Reactive Streams back pressure.
HowToDoInJava
howtodoinjava.com › home › spring webflux › spring webclient vs. resttemplate: what’s difference?
Spring WebClient vs. RestTemplate: What's Difference?
September 15, 2023 - Since Spring 5, non-blocking Spring WebClient is a preferred alternative to blocking RestTemplate which is in maintenance mode/deprecated since then.
Spring
spring.io › blog › 2025 › 09 › 30 › the-state-of-http-clients-in-spring
The state of HTTP clients in Spring
September 30, 2025 - WebClient then appeared as a good alternative to RestTemplate. The extension points and API style are modern. If high concurrency or streaming HTTP calls are important features for the application, WebClient is a viable solution. We didn’t expect entire applications to be rewritten in WebFlux just for this reason.
Code Complete
betterjavacode.com › home › programming › spring webclient vs resttemplate – comparison and features
Spring WebClient vs RestTemplate - Comparison and Features
December 27, 2020 - Because it is synchronous, the thread will block until webclient responds to the request. Consequently, Requests waiting for results will increase. This will result in an increase in memory. On the other hand, WebClient is an asynchronous non-blocking client. It uses Spring’s reactive framework ...
Harmelodic
harmelodic.com › blog › restclient-vs-webclient-vs-resttemplate-configuring
RestClient vs. WebClient vs. RestTemplate (Configuring) - Harmelodic
Both RestTemplate and RestClient can return the ResponseEntity class (since the latter is built using the former), whereas WebClient uses the reactive ClientResponse class to allow you to work with HTTP responses whilst staying in the reactive ecosystem: import org.springframework.http.Req...
DevGenius
blog.devgenius.io › rest-with-spring-boot-understanding-resttemplate-and-webclient-e57b62be37d7
Goodbye RestTemplate, Hello WebClient! | by Parin Patel | Dev Genius
October 10, 2025 - RestTemplate is a synchronous client provided by Spring that simplifies the interaction with RESTful services. It offers a variety of methods to perform HTTP requests and handle responses in a straightforward way.
Java Code Geeks
javacodegeeks.com › home › enterprise java
Spring HTTP Clients: RestClient, WebClient, RestTemplate - Java Code Geeks
August 15, 2024 - Project Requirements: If you need synchronous behavior and simplicity, RestTemplate might suffice. For modern, reactive applications, WebClient is the preferred choice. RestClient can be a good middle ground.
Techkluster
techkluster.com › spring › spring-webclient-resttemplate
Spring WebClient vs. RestTemplate – TechKluster
When it comes to making HTTP requests in a Spring-based application, developers have traditionally relied on the RestTemplate class. However, with the introduction of Spring WebFlux, an asynchronous and non-blocking alternative called WebClient has emerged. In this article, we will delve into ...
Medium
medium.com › techno101 › webclient-vs-resttemplate-spring-boot-with-implementation-5b1aedf18f84
WebClient vs RestTemplate — Spring Boot With Implementation | by Vinesh | The Jabberjays | Medium
October 28, 2020 - The RestTemplate will be deprecated in a future version and will not have major new features added going forward. Let’s see how we can use WebClient to make calls to other rest services and how it’s better than RestTemplate. RestTemplate is the central class within the Spring framework for executing synchronous HTTP requests on the client-side.
Blogger
javarevisited.blogspot.com › 2023 › 08 › difference-between-resttemplate-and.html
Difference between RestTemplate and WebClient in Spring Boot? Example
The answer is then returned as a string by sending a GET request to the provided URL using the getForObject() function. Introduced in Spring 5.0, WebClient is a non-blocking, reactive HTTP client.
Medium
medium.com › @umeshcapg › restclient-vs-webclient-vs-resttemplate-choosing-the-right-http-client-for-spring-boot-ba2c531740e0
RestClient vs. WebClient vs. RestTemplate: Choosing the Right HTTP Client for Spring Boot 🚀 | by Umesh Kumar Yadav | Medium
June 18, 2025 - RestTemplate, introduced in Spring 3.0, is a synchronous, blocking HTTP client. It uses a template-based API, relying on libraries like java.net.HttpURLConnection or Apache HttpClient. While reliable for traditional Spring MVC apps, its blocking nature and dated API design have pushed it into maintenance mode since Spring 5.
DEV Community
dev.to › codegreen › rest-template-vs-web-client-in-spring-boot-56il
Rest Template vs Web Client in Spring Boot - DEV Community
November 28, 2024 - Use RestTemplate for simpler, synchronous scenarios or when maintaining legacy code. Use WebClient for modern, reactive applications requiring asynchronous processing and better scalability.
LinkedIn
linkedin.com › pulse › webclient-vs-resttemplate-detailed-guide-muaath-bin-ali-ax46f
WebClient vs RestTemplate: A Detailed Guide
October 15, 2023 - 2. Blocking Calls: Can lead to inefficient resource use in applications with high IO or network calls. ... WebClient is a non-blocking, reactive web client introduced in Spring 5 as part of the Spring WebFlux module.