What is the difference between the @Bean annotation and @Component?

The @Component annotation is used for automatic detection and registration of a class as a Spring bean during component scanning. This means that Spring will automatically create an instance of the class and manage its lifecycle.

The @Bean annotation is applied to methods within configuration classes (@Configuration). It indicates that the method returns an object that should be registered as a bean in the Spring context. Unlike @Component, @Bean allows explicit creation and configuration of beans, such as creating third-party objects or setting their parameters.

Example:

@Configuration
public class AppConfig {
    @Bean
    public MyService myService() {
        return new MyServiceImpl();
    }
}

@Component
public class MyComponent {
    // This class will be automatically registered as a bean
}

Summary:

• @Component — automatic registration of a class as a bean during scanning.
• @Bean — explicit creation of a bean through a method in a configuration class.