Difference between <context:annotation-config> and <context:component-scan>

<context:annotation-config> is used to activate annotations in beans already registered in the application context (no matter if they were defined with XML or by package scanning).

<context:component-scan> can also do what <context:annotation-config> does but <context:component-scan> also scans packages to find and register beans within the application context.

I'll use some examples to show the differences/similarities.

Let's start with a basic setup of three beans of type A, B and C, with B and C being injected into A.

package com.xxx;
public class B {
  public B() {
    System.out.println("creating bean B: " + this);
  }
}

package com.xxx;
public class C {
  public C() {
    System.out.println("creating bean C: " + this);
  }
}

package com.yyy;
import com.xxx.B;
import com.xxx.C;
public class A { 
  private B bbb;
  private C ccc;
  public A() {
    System.out.println("creating bean A: " + this);
  }
  public void setBbb(B bbb) {
    System.out.println("setting A.bbb with " + bbb);
    this.bbb = bbb;
  }
  public void setCcc(C ccc) {
    System.out.println("setting A.ccc with " + ccc);
    this.ccc = ccc; 
  }
}

With the following XML configuration :

<bean id="bBean" class="com.xxx.B" />
<bean id="cBean" class="com.xxx.C" />
<bean id="aBean" class="com.yyy.A">
  <property name="bbb" ref="bBean" />
  <property name="ccc" ref="cBean" />
</bean>

Loading the context produces the following output:

creating bean B: com.xxx.B@c2ff5
creating bean C: com.xxx.C@1e8a1f6
creating bean A: com.yyy.A@1e152c5
setting A.bbb with com.xxx.B@c2f