About Play Framework
Play Framework is a web framework for Java and Scala. It is based on a stateless, web-friendly architecture and uses non-blocking I/O, so it can serve many concurrent users with predictable resource use.
What it does
You write controllers and routes, and Play compiles them while the app runs. Changes show up after a browser refresh, which keeps the development loop short. Play includes RESTful routing, JSON support, WebSockets and EventSource, and it has tools for testing and for working in IntelliJ IDEA or Eclipse.
Key features
- Refresh the browser to see code changes
- Non-blocking I/O built on Pekko or Akka
- RESTful routing and JSON by default
- WebSockets and EventSource for live updates
Who it's for
Java and Scala teams building web and mobile back ends that need to scale and stay responsive under load. It suits real-time features and applications where stateless servers and predictable performance matter.
Pricing and good to know
Play is open source under the Apache 2.0 licence and free to use. Play 3 is built on Pekko and Play 2 on Akka, so pick the line that matches your dependencies. The project has a community forum and a Discord server for questions.
Highlights
- Refresh the browser to see code changes
- Non-blocking I/O for many concurrent users
- RESTful routing and JSON by default
- WebSockets and EventSource for live updates
