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 - RestTemplate uses Java Servlet API and is therefore synchronous and blocking. Conversely, WebClient is asynchronous and will not block the executing thread while waiting for the response to come back.
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.
spring - WebClient vs RestTemplate - Stack Overflow
As per spring 5: WebClient is an interface representing the main entry point for performing web requests. It has been created as a part of the Spring Web Reactive module and will be replacing the More on stackoverflow.com
WebClient vs RestTemplate Confusion. Help!!!
I'm struggling to understand when to use WebClient versus when to use RestTemplate. My app follows the MVC pattern, but I need to call an external… More on reddit.com
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July 18, 2025RestClient 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, 2025Spring 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, 2021RestClient vs WebClient vs RestTemplate
04:43
Difference between RestClient, RestTemplate, WebClient - YouTube
01:50
RestTemplate vs WebClient vs Feign Client | Spring Boot - YouTube
02:18:37
RestTemplate vs Feign vs WebClient vs HTTP Interfaces
@RestTemplate @WebClient RestTemplate and WebClient ...
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 - WebClient is for reactive development and RestClient is blocking and was proposed against the use of RestTemplate and many more clients were added to replace template based API like for JdbcTemplate we get JdbcClient
Spring Boot Testing: MockMvc vs. WebTestClient vs. TestRestTemplate Mar 20, 2023
r/SpringBoot 3y ago
Top answer 1 of 6
129
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 › @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 - Use WebClient if you need a reactive, non-blocking approach. Use RestClient if you want a modern, easy-to-use alternative to RestTemplate without fully adopting WebClient.
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.
DEV Community
dev.to › nullvoidkage › webclient-vs-resttemplate-vs-feignclient-a-comparative-guide-4028
🚀 WebClient vs RestTemplate vs FeignClient: A Comparative Guide - DEV Community
August 22, 2024 - Use RestTemplate if you're maintaining legacy applications and do not require reactive features. Use WebClient if you need a modern, non-blocking HTTP client with support for reactive programming.
Spring
docs.spring.io › spring-framework › reference › integration › rest-clients.html
REST Clients :: Spring Framework
WebClient is a non-blocking, reactive client to perform HTTP requests. It was introduced in 5.0 and offers an alternative to the RestTemplate, with support for synchronous, asynchronous, and streaming scenarios.
Harmelodic
harmelodic.com › blog › restclient-vs-webclient-vs-resttemplate-configuring
RestClient vs. WebClient vs. RestTemplate (Configuring) - Harmelodic
This could be to handle different ... (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:...
Medium
therealsainath.medium.com › resttemplate-vs-webclient-vs-httpclient-a-comprehensive-comparison-69a378c2695b
RestTemplate vs WebClient vs HttpClient: A Comparison | by Sainath Ebitwar | Medium
February 5, 2023 - The main advantage of using WebClient is that it supports both synchronous and asynchronous programming models. ... Supports both synchronous and asynchronous programming models. Provides a fluent API for building and executing HTTP requests.
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 - RestTemplate is the central class within the Spring framework for executing synchronous HTTP requests on the client-side. It is very similar to the JdbcTemplate, JmsTemplate, and the various other templates found in the Spring Framework.
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 - Spring Boot has revolutionized the way developers create applications. One of its most powerful features is the ability to create RESTful services, which allows different systems to communicate seamlessly over HTTP. Two essential tools provided by Spring for making HTTP requests are the RestTemplate and WebClient.
YouTube
youtube.com › watch
RestTemplate vs FeignClient vs WebClient (Http Clients)
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Medium
medium.com › hprog99 › transitioning-from-resttemplate-to-webclient-in-spring-boot-a-detailed-guide-4febd21063ba
Transitioning from RestTemplate to WebClient in Spring Boot: A Detailed Guide | by Hiten Pratap Singh | hprog99 | Medium
October 17, 2023 - It offers numerous advantages over RestTemplate: Non-Blocking Operations: WebClient operates on a non-blocking, reactive paradigm using Project Reactor, allowing it to handle concurrency with fewer threads and less overhead, significantly improving ...
GitHub
github.com › infantesimone › rest-template-vs-web-client
GitHub - infantesimone/rest-template-vs-web-client: Comparison between WebClient and RestTemplate, in a Spring MVC application on Wildfly · GitHub
The goal of this project is to compare WebClient and RestTemplate in a Spring MVC application on Wildfly.
Author: infantesimone
Medium
medium.com › javarevisited › the-shortcut-keys-that-saved-me-300-hours-in-a-year-no-joke-20fa445424e0
The Shortcut Keys That Saved Me 300 Hours in a Year (No Joke) | by Kavya's Programming Path | Javarevisited | Medium
April 27, 2026 - The Shortcut Keys That Saved Me 300 Hours in a Year (No Joke) I stopped using my mouse for everything. My work speed changed completely. 👉Friend link : 1. Open Any File Instantly (Stop Clicking …
Medium
medium.com › @haripriya1618 › demystifying-spring-microservices-communication-resttemplate-vs-webclient-vs-feign-client-4edda080bc41
Demystifying Spring MicroServices Communication: RestTemplate vs. WebClient vs. Feign Client | by Poorna Hari Priya Muttamsetty | Medium
September 30, 2024 - Use RestTemplate for simple, legacy applications where blocking is acceptable. Choose WebClient if you’re building modern, high-throughput, and reactive applications where performance and scalability are critical.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/springboot › webclient vs resttemplate confusion. help!!!
r/SpringBoot on Reddit: WebClient vs RestTemplate Confusion. Help!!!
July 18, 2025 - Use RestClient if it's a new implementation or if you have time, migrate from RestTemplate to RestClient. WebClient is non-blocking, asynchronous reactive implementation.
Medium
medium.com › @aravindcsebe › spring-http-clients-resttemplate-vs-webclient-vs-feignclient-a-developers-complete-guide-9879fe3ad6f1
Spring HTTP Clients: RestTemplate vs WebClient vs FeignClient — A Developer’s Complete Guide | by Spring Boot Simplified | Medium
September 3, 2025 - RestTemplate remains viable for simple, synchronous use cases in legacy applications, but it’s not recommended for new projects. WebClient is the future of HTTP clients in Spring, offering superior performance and reactive capabilities.
Unpontdev
unpontdev.com
Vs Resttemplate Spring Boot Web Client Webclient Vs ...
Enterprise-style portfolio for database administration, scraping infrastructure, data manipulation, and Python engineering.