What is the difference between the annotations Component, Repository, and Service in Spring?

All these annotations are specialized @Component. They are used for automatic detection of Spring components through classpath scanning.

The main differences lie in semantics and intended use:

• @Component: A general stereotype annotation for any Spring component. It can be used for classes that do not fall under more specific categories.
• @Repository: Indicates a class that acts as a data repository. Spring provides automatic exception translation for classes with this annotation, converting data access-specific exceptions into a unified Spring exception hierarchy.
• @Service: Indicates a class in the application's service layer. It usually contains business logic. It is used to improve code readability and better application structuring.