What are the pros and cons of the Lombok plugin?

The advantages and disadvantages of the Lombok plugin are as follows:

Advantages:

1. Reduce boilerplate code: Lombok automatically generates common code such as Getter, Setter, constructors, etc. through annotations, eliminating the need for developers to write a large amount of repetitive code and increasing development efficiency.
2. Simplify code structure: Lombok can simplify the code structure by using annotations. For instance, the @Data annotation can automatically generate methods like Getter, Setter, toString, equals, and hashCode, which simplifies the class definition.
3. Improving code readability: The code generated by Lombok follows certain standards and consistency, enhancing the readability and maintainability of the code.
4. Customization: Lombok offers a variety of annotations and configuration options that can be tailored to individual needs, allowing developers to selectively use Lombok’s functionality based on their requirements.

Downsides:

1. Learning Cost: Using Lombok requires developers to master specific annotations and configurations, which comes with a certain learning curve.
2. Invasiveness: Lombok will modify the source code during compilation, potentially causing conflicts or incompatibility with certain IDEs and plugins.
3. Readability and maintainability: Even though Lombok can enhance the readability and maintainability of the code, excessive use of Lombok’s features may lead to code being overly simplified and hard to understand.
4. Compatibility with versions: Since Lombok is a third-party plugin, there may be compatibility issues with different versions of Java and IDEs, requiring developers to select and configure the appropriate version.

In summary, the advantages of the Lombok plugin are reducing boilerplate code, simplifying code structure, improving code readability and customizability, while the disadvantages include learning curve, intrusiveness, readability and maintainability, and compatibility issues. Developers can evaluate whether to use the Lombok plugin based on their specific project requirements and team development style.