Java HTTP Client Libraries
HTTP client libraries for Java provide enterprise-level robust communication. OkHttp offers efficient connection management, Retrofit provides type-safe API definitions, and Apache HttpClient delivers extensive configuration options. Spring WebClient supports reactive programming models.
GitHub Star Comparison
| No | Name | GitHub Stars | Description | Trend | License | Type | Official Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OkHttp | - | High-performance HTTP client for Java/Kotlin by Square, the Android development company. Built-in HTTP/2 support, connection pooling, GZIP compression, response caching, and automatic recovery from network failures. Optimized for Android and JVM platforms. | Maintains position as important HTTP client in Android development and Java ecosystem in 2025. Particularly widely adopted in mobile application development and Java microservices, supported for high performance and rich features. | Apache 2.0 | High-performance | Official |
| 2 | Apache HttpClient | - | Mature HTTP client library for Java developed by Apache Software Foundation. Proven track record in enterprise environments with full HTTP/1.1 implementation, authentication, proxy support, SSL/TLS, and connection management. Enterprise-grade reliability and stability. | Continues as important choice in Java enterprise development in 2025. Stable demand especially for legacy system integration and HTTP/1.1-centered environments. Adoption in new projects declining due to rise of modern alternatives. | Apache 2.0 | Enterprise-grade | Official |
| 3 | Java HttpClient | - | Standard HTTP client API provided from Java 11+. Modern and fluent API design with HTTP/2 support and both asynchronous/synchronous capabilities. Built into JDK with no external dependencies, provides WebSocket support and CompletableFuture-based async processing. | Rapidly spreading as first choice for new projects adopting Java 11+ in 2025. Supported by developers seeking minimal dependencies and modern APIs. Becoming standard choice in environments where compatibility with legacy Java versions is unnecessary. | OpenJDK | Standard Library | Official |
| 4 | Retrofit | - | Type-safe HTTP client developed by Square. Transforms REST APIs into declarative interfaces, defining API calls through annotation-based approach. Integrates with serialization libraries like Gson and Moshi, supports RxJava and Kotlin Coroutines. | Maintains important position in Android development and Java RESTful API development in 2025. Continuously adopted for improved development efficiency through type safety and code generation. Particularly increasing adoption in Kotlin environments as standard choice for modern Android development. | Apache 2.0 | Annotation-based | Official |