Spring Development Tools

Introduction

When working with the Spring Framework, having the right development tools can significantly enhance your productivity and simplify your workflow. This guide introduces the essential tools and environments that make Spring development more accessible, especially for beginners. The Spring ecosystem provides a variety of tools designed to streamline project creation, code development, testing, and deployment.

By the end of this guide, you'll understand what tools are available, when to use them, and how they can help you become more efficient in your Spring development journey.

Essential Spring Development Tools

1. Spring Tool Suite (STS)

Spring Tool Suite is an Eclipse-based IDE (Integrated Development Environment) specifically tailored for developing Spring applications.

Key Features

Spring-aware tools: Built-in support for Spring-specific code completion and validation
Dashboard: Easy access to Spring guides and documentation
Spring Boot support: Integration with Spring Boot features
Built-in tools: Maven/Gradle integration, Git support, and more

Getting Started with STS

Download STS from the Spring Tools website
Install it on your system
Launch STS and create a new Spring project

java
// Sample Spring Boot application main class that STS helps you create
@SpringBootApplication
public class MySpringApplication {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SpringApplication.run(MySpringApplication.class, args);
    }
}

2. Spring Initializr

Spring Initializr is a web-based tool that helps you bootstrap your Spring application with minimal effort.

How to Use Spring Initializr

Visit start.spring.io
Configure your project:
- Select build tool (Maven/Gradle)
- Choose language (Java, Kotlin, Groovy)
- Select Spring Boot version
- Define project metadata
- Add dependencies (e.g., Web, JPA, Security)
Click "Generate" to download your project ZIP file
Extract and import into your IDE

Example Project Configuration

Here's an example pom.xml that Spring Initializr might generate:

xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" 
         xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 
                             https://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
    
    <parent>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
        <version>2.7.0</version>
    </parent>
    
    <groupId>com.example</groupId>
    <artifactId>demo</artifactId>
    <version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
    <name>demo</name>
    <description>Demo project for Spring Boot</description>
    
    <dependencies>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
            <scope>test</scope>
        </dependency>
    </dependencies>
    
    <build>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
                <artifactId>spring-boot-maven-plugin</artifactId>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </build>
</project>

3. Spring Boot CLI

Spring Boot CLI (Command Line Interface) allows you to quickly prototype Spring applications from the command line.

Installation

Using SDKMAN:

bash
sdk install springboot

Using Homebrew (macOS):

bash
brew tap spring-io/tap
brew install spring-boot

Basic Commands

bash
# Create a new Spring Boot application
spring init --dependencies=web,data-jpa myapp

# Run a Spring Boot application
spring run MyApplication.java

# Test a Spring Boot application
spring test MyApplicationTests.java

Sample Spring Boot CLI Script

Create a file hello.groovy:

groovy
@RestController
class WebApp {
    @RequestMapping("/")
    String home() {
        "Hello, Spring Boot CLI!"
    }
}

Run it with:

bash
spring run hello.groovy

Output:

2023-07-01 10:15:23.456  INFO 12345 --- [main] o.s.b.web.embedded.netty.NettyWebServer  : Netty started on port 8080
2023-07-01 10:15:23.460  INFO 12345 --- [main] com.example.demo.DemoApplication         : Started DemoApplication in 2.5 seconds

Your application will be available at http://localhost:8080

4. IDE Integrations

IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA offers excellent Spring support, especially in the Ultimate Edition:

Spring-aware code completion
Spring Boot configuration properties support
Dependency injection inspection
Run/debug configurations for Spring Boot applications
Spring Initializr integration

Creating a Spring Boot project in IntelliJ:

Go to File > New > Project
Select "Spring Initializr"
Configure your project settings
Select dependencies
Click "Finish"

Visual Studio Code

VS Code can be transformed into a powerful Spring development environment with extensions:

Spring Boot Tools
Spring Initializr
Spring Boot Dashboard
Java Extension Pack

Installing extensions:

bash
code --install-extension Pivotal.vscode-spring-boot
code --install-extension vscjava.vscode-spring-initializr
code --install-extension vscjava.vscode-spring-boot-dashboard

5. Spring Boot DevTools

Spring Boot DevTools is a set of tools that enhances the developer experience:

Key Features

Automatic restart: Application restarts when files change
LiveReload: Automatic browser refresh when resources change
Property defaults: Development-friendly configuration defaults
Condition evaluation report: Helpful details about application auto-configuration

Adding DevTools to Your Project

Maven:

xml
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-boot-devtools</artifactId>
    <scope>runtime</scope>
    <optional>true</optional>
</dependency>

Gradle:

gradle
developmentOnly 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-devtools'

Example of Fast Restart

Run your Spring Boot application
Edit a controller class:

java
@RestController
public class HelloController {
    @GetMapping("/hello")
    public String hello() {
        // Change from "Hello World" to "Hello Spring"
        return "Hello Spring";
    }
}

DevTools will automatically restart the application
Access http://localhost:8080/hello to see your changes

Real-World Development Setup Example

Let's walk through a real-world example of setting up a complete Spring development environment for a web application.

Step 1: Create a New Project

Use Spring Initializr to create a new project with these dependencies:

Spring Web
Spring Data JPA
H2 Database
Spring Boot DevTools
Lombok

Step 2: Import into Your IDE

Import the generated project into your preferred IDE (STS, IntelliJ IDEA, or VS Code).

Step 3: Create a Simple Entity

java
package com.example.demo.entity;

import lombok.Data;
import javax.persistence.Entity;
import javax.persistence.Id;
import javax.persistence.GeneratedValue;
import javax.persistence.GenerationType;

@Entity
@Data
public class Product {
    @Id
    @GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.IDENTITY)
    private Long id;
    private String name;
    private String description;
    private Double price;
}

Step 4: Create a Repository

java
package com.example.demo.repository;

import com.example.demo.entity.Product;
import org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.JpaRepository;

public interface ProductRepository extends JpaRepository<Product, Long> {
}

Step 5: Create a REST Controller

java
package com.example.demo.controller;

import com.example.demo.entity.Product;
import com.example.demo.repository.ProductRepository;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.*;

import java.util.List;

@RestController
@RequestMapping("/api/products")
public class ProductController {

    @Autowired
    private ProductRepository productRepository;

    @GetMapping
    public List<Product> getAllProducts() {
        return productRepository.findAll();
    }

    @PostMapping
    public Product createProduct(@RequestBody Product product) {
        return productRepository.save(product);
    }

    @GetMapping("/{id}")
    public Product getProduct(@PathVariable Long id) {
        return productRepository.findById(id)
                .orElseThrow(() -> new RuntimeException("Product not found"));
    }
}

Step 6: Configure Application Properties

Create an application.properties file:

properties
# H2 Database Configuration
spring.datasource.url=jdbc:h2:mem:testdb
spring.datasource.driverClassName=org.h2.Driver
spring.datasource.username=sa
spring.datasource.password=

# Enable H2 Console
spring.h2.console.enabled=true
spring.h2.console.path=/h2-console

# JPA Configuration
spring.jpa.database-platform=org.hibernate.dialect.H2Dialect
spring.jpa.hibernate.ddl-auto=update
spring.jpa.show-sql=true

# DevTools
spring.devtools.restart.enabled=true

Step 7: Run and Test

Run your application using your IDE's run configuration or with:
bash
```
./mvnw spring-boot:run
```

Use a REST client (like Postman) to test your API:

Create a product:

POST http://localhost:8080/api/products
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "Spring Boot in Action",
  "description": "A comprehensive guide to Spring Boot",
  "price": 39.99
}

Get all products:

GET http://localhost:8080/api/products

Access the H2 Console at http://localhost:8080/h2-console to see your database

Summary

Spring development tools provide a rich ecosystem that can significantly improve your development experience. In this guide, we've covered:

Spring Tool Suite (STS): A specialized IDE for Spring development
Spring Initializr: A quick way to bootstrap Spring applications
Spring Boot CLI: A command-line tool for rapid prototyping
IDE Integrations: Support for Spring in IntelliJ IDEA and VS Code
Spring Boot DevTools: Tools that enhance developer productivity

By leveraging these tools effectively, you can accelerate your Spring development process, reduce boilerplate code, and focus on building robust applications.

Additional Resources

Exercises

Setup Challenge: Install Spring Tool Suite and create a simple Hello World Spring Boot application.
Initializr Practice: Use Spring Initializr to create a Spring Boot project with Web, JPA, and H2 dependencies. Import it into your IDE and run it.
CLI Exploration: Install Spring Boot CLI and create a simple REST API using Groovy scripts.
DevTools Deep Dive: Add Spring Boot DevTools to an existing project and experiment with automatic restarts and LiveReload functionality.
Full Stack Project: Create a complete application with an entity, repository, service, and controller layers. Use DevTools to speed up your development workflow.

Happy Spring coding!

If you spot any mistakes on this website, please let me know at [email protected]. I’d greatly appreciate your feedback! :)

Introduction​

Essential Spring Development Tools​

1. Spring Tool Suite (STS)​

Key Features​

Getting Started with STS​

2. Spring Initializr​

How to Use Spring Initializr​

Example Project Configuration​

3. Spring Boot CLI​

Installation​

Basic Commands​

Sample Spring Boot CLI Script​

4. IDE Integrations​

IntelliJ IDEA​

Visual Studio Code​

5. Spring Boot DevTools​

Key Features​

Adding DevTools to Your Project​

Example of Fast Restart​

Real-World Development Setup Example​

Step 1: Create a New Project​

Step 2: Import into Your IDE​

Step 3: Create a Simple Entity​

Step 4: Create a Repository​

Step 5: Create a REST Controller​

Step 6: Configure Application Properties​

Step 7: Run and Test​

Summary​

Additional Resources​

Exercises​

Introduction

Essential Spring Development Tools

1. Spring Tool Suite (STS)

Key Features

Getting Started with STS

2. Spring Initializr

How to Use Spring Initializr

Example Project Configuration

3. Spring Boot CLI

Installation

Basic Commands

Sample Spring Boot CLI Script

4. IDE Integrations

IntelliJ IDEA

Visual Studio Code

5. Spring Boot DevTools

Key Features

Adding DevTools to Your Project

Example of Fast Restart

Real-World Development Setup Example

Step 1: Create a New Project

Step 2: Import into Your IDE

Step 3: Create a Simple Entity

Step 4: Create a Repository

Step 5: Create a REST Controller

Step 6: Configure Application Properties

Step 7: Run and Test

Summary

Additional Resources

Exercises