What is Reporting?

When we talk about reporting in software applications, we are essentially talking about giving structure to raw data so that it can be used for analysis and decision-making. Without reporting, data is just numbers and text. With reporting, it becomes an insight.

This is why reporting is an essential part of modern business applications. Whether it’s finance, healthcare, logistics, or technology, organizations rely on structured reports to monitor performance, identify trends, and guide decisions.

Some common characteristics of reporting include:

• Presenting information in visual and tabular formats
• Integrating with different data sources
• Offering multi-format exports (Excel, HTML, PDF, and Word)

In other words, reporting is not just about displaying data; it’s about making it meaningful and accessible.

What are the Different Report Generation Approaches in Java Spring Boot?

Different libraries and tools exist in the Java ecosystem, each addressing specific needs:

• Apache POI: This open-source Java API is great for Excel and Word-based financial reports. It offers cell-level operations and works well for tabular or structured data.
• BI Tools: These tools offer interactive dashboards and advanced visualizations. Some examples include Power BI and Tableau.
• BIRT (Business Intelligence and Reporting Tool): It is an Eclipse system-based designer for building flexible, visual reports with parameter support.
• iText: This library is best suited for generating professional, print-ready PDF documents. It offers full control over layout and styling but is limited to PDF.
• JasperReports: This mature reporting engine comes with charts, sub-reports, and complex layouts. It also supports multiple output formats.
• Thymeleaf: This template engine is a great option for generating dynamic HTML reports. When paired with supporting libraries, it can also render PDFs.

Comparison of Different Approaches

Tool	Best Use Case	Output Formats	Complexity	Support
Apache POI	Excel/Word reports and financial apps	DOCX and XLSX	Medium (needs Excel cell-level logic)	Community-driven
BIRT	Visual designer-driven reports	DOCX, HTML, PDF, and XLSX	Moderate (requires Eclipse Designer)	Community (slowed)
iText	Print-ready PDFs	PDF only	Medium (needs custom coding)	Commercial + Community
JasperReports	Dashboards, invoices, and multi-page reports	CSV, DOCX, HTML, PDF, and XLSX	Moderate to High (requires .jrxml design)	Community + Commercial

A. JasperReports

JasperReports has been a staple in the Java ecosystem for years. It provides:

• A visual designer (Jasper Studio) for .jrxml templates.
• Support for diverse formats, including CSV, Excel, HTML, PDF, and Word.
• Tight integration with Spring Boot.

Example:

Generating a PDF report with JasperReports

Dependency:

<dependency>
    <groupId>net.sf.jasperreports</groupId>
    <artifactId>jasperreports</artifactId>
    <version>7.0.0</version>
</dependency>

Generating report by passing parameters:

JasperReport jasperReport = (JasperReport) JRLoader.loadObject(
        getClass().getResource(“/reports/invoice.jasper”));

Map<String, Object> parameters = new HashMap<>();
parameters.put(“invoiceId”, 12345);

JasperPrint jasperPrint = JasperFillManager.fillReport(
        jasperReport, parameters, dataSource.getConnection());

JasperExportManager.exportReportToPdfFile(jasperPrint, “invoice.pdf”);

B. BIRT (Business Intelligence and Reporting Tool)

BIRT is a popular open-source, Eclipse system-based reporting framework. Reports are designed in the BIRT Designer (.rptdesign files) and executed via the BIRT Engine.

Example:

Triggering a BIRT report in Spring Boot

Dependency:

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.eclipse.birt.runtime</groupId>
    <artifactId>org.eclipse.birt.runtime</artifactId>
    <version>4.4.2</version>
</dependency>

Generating report by passing parameters:

EngineConfig config = new EngineConfig();
Platform.startup(config);

IReportEngineFactory factory = (IReportEngineFactory) Platform
        .createFactoryObject(IReportEngineFactory.EXTENSION_REPORT_ENGINE_FACTORY);
IReportEngine engine = factory.createReportEngine(config);

IReportRunnable report = engine.openReportDesign(“reports/sales.rptdesign”);

// Pass parameters into the report
HashMap<String, Object> params = new HashMap<>();
params.put(“year”, 2025);

IRunAndRenderTask task = engine.createRunAndRenderTask(report);
task.setParameterValues(params);

// Render to PDF
PDFRenderOption options = new PDFRenderOption();
options.setOutputFileName(“sales-report.pdf”);
options.setOutputFormat(“pdf”);

task.setRenderOption(options);
task.run();
task.close();
engine.destroy();

Example of a .rptdesign structure snippet:

<report xmlns=”http://www.eclipse.org/birt/2005/design” version=”3.2.23″>
  <parameters>
    <scalar-parameter name=”year” dataType=”integer” promptText=”Enter Year”/>
  </parameters>
  <body>
    <table>
      <column id=”1″/>
      <detail>
        <row>
          <cell><data id=”customerName”/></cell>
          <cell><data id=”totalAmount”/></cell>
        </row>
      </detail>
    </table>
  </body>
</report>

This shows how parameters (year) are defined and used within a BIRT template.

Limitations

JasperReports

• Requires .jrxml design files which add extra complexity.
• Heightens performance overhead with very large datasets.
• Needs paid/commercial support for some advanced features.

BIRT

• Has slower community support, leading to fewer resources.
• Depends heavily on Eclipse tooling.
• Is harder to integrate with modern Spring Boot projects compared to Jasper.

BIRT vs. JasperReports

• BIRT: It is good for teams who prefer an open-source, designer-first approach and are comfortable with community-driven support.
• JasperReports: It is better for enterprises needing better tooling, commercial support, and easier integration with Spring Boot.

Key Takeaways:

• Use Apache POI for Excel/Word-heavy financial applications.
• Use BIRT for open-source flexibility and visual design.
• Use iText when only PDFs are needed.
• Use JasperReports for enterprise-grade, multi-format reporting with commercial backing.

Conclusion

In today’s highly competitive market, the ability to transform raw data into actionable insights through well-structured reports is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity. Reports not only help organizations monitor performance and identify trends but also empower leaders to make faster, smarter, and more strategic decisions.

Due to its scalability, flexibility, and compatibility, Java Spring Boot has become the go-to framework for enterprises requiring modern reporting solutions. If you are looking to build tailored reporting systems that meet unique business needs, our team can help you leverage the full potential of Spring Boot and reporting tools to craft robust, enterprise-grade solutions that deliver meaningful insights at scale.