Lombok – Reduce Boilerplate in Java

Writing boilerplate code in Java — like getters, setters, constructors, and builders — can get repetitive. Project Lombok simplifies this with annotations that auto-generate code at compile-time, keeping your classes clean and focused.

🔧 Setup

To use Lombok, add this dependency to your project:

➡️ Maven

<dependency>
  <groupId>org.projectlombok</groupId>
  <artifactId>lombok</artifactId>
  <version>1.18.30</version>
  <scope>provided</scope>
</dependency>

➡️ Gradle

compileOnly 'org.projectlombok:lombok:1.18.30'
annotationProcessor 'org.projectlombok:lombok:1.18.30'

📦 Example Without Lombok

public class User {
  private String name;
  private int age;

  public User() {}

  public User(String name, int age) {
    this.name = name;
    this.age = age;
  }

  public String getName() { return name; }
  public void setName(String name) { this.name = name; }

  public int getAge() { return age; }
  public void setAge(int age) { this.age = age; }
}

That's a lot of code for just a data class!

✅ Same Class With Lombok

import lombok.Data;

@Data
public class User {
  private String name;
  private int age;
}

Done! @Data includes @Getter, @Setter, @ToString, @EqualsAndHashCode, and @RequiredArgsConstructor.

🎯 Common Lombok Annotations

• @Getter and @Setter – generates getters/setters
• @ToString – generates a toString() method
• @EqualsAndHashCode – adds equals() and hashCode()
• @NoArgsConstructor, @AllArgsConstructor – constructors
• @Builder – fluent builder API
• @Value – makes an immutable class (like Kotlin’s data class)

🚀 Builder Example

@Builder
public class Product {
  private String name;
  private double price;
}

// Usage
Product p = Product.builder()
    .name("Laptop")
    .price(1200.0)
    .build();

🛠 IDE Support

Lombok works in IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse, but you may need to:

• Install the Lombok plugin
• Enable annotation processing in your IDE settings

📌 Conclusion

Lombok is a fantastic tool for reducing repetitive Java code. Use it wisely to simplify your codebase, but be sure your team understands what’s being auto-generated under the hood.