Java Spring Boot Skill
Build production-ready Spring Boot applications with modern best practices.
Overview
This skill covers Spring Boot development including REST APIs, security configuration, data access, actuator monitoring, and cloud integration. Follows Spring Boot 3.x patterns with emphasis on production readiness.
When to Use This Skill
Use when you need to:
- Create REST APIs with Spring MVC/WebFlux
- Configure Spring Security (OAuth2, JWT)
- Set up database access with Spring Data
- Enable monitoring with Actuator
- Integrate with Spring Cloud
Topics Covered
Spring Boot Core
- Auto-configuration and starters
- Application properties and profiles
- Bean lifecycle and configuration
- DevTools and hot reload
REST API Development
- @RestController and @RequestMapping
- Request/response handling
- Validation with Bean Validation
- Exception handling with @ControllerAdvice
Spring Security
- SecurityFilterChain configuration
- OAuth2 and JWT authentication
- Method security (@PreAuthorize)
- CORS and CSRF configuration
Spring Data JPA
- Repository pattern
- Query methods and @Query
- Pagination and sorting
- Auditing and transactions
Actuator & Monitoring
- Health checks and probes
- Metrics with Micrometer
- Custom endpoints
- Prometheus integration
Quick Reference
// REST Controller
@RestController
@RequestMapping("/api/users")
@Validated
public class UserController {
@GetMapping("/{id}")
public ResponseEntity<User> getUser(@PathVariable Long id) {
return userService.findById(id)
.map(ResponseEntity::ok)
.orElse(ResponseEntity.notFound().build());
}
@PostMapping
public ResponseEntity<User> createUser(@Valid @RequestBody UserRequest request) {
User user = userService.create(request);
URI location = URI.create("/api/users/" + user.getId());
return ResponseEntity.created(location).body(user);
}
}
// Security Configuration
@Configuration
@EnableWebSecurity
public class SecurityConfig {
@Bean
public SecurityFilterChain filterChain(HttpSecurity http) throws Exception {
return http
.csrf(csrf -> csrf.disable())
.sessionManagement(s -> s.sessionCreationPolicy(STATELESS))
.authorizeHttpRequests(auth -> auth
.requestMatchers("/actuator/health/**").permitAll()
.requestMatchers("/api/public/**").permitAll()
.anyRequest().authenticated())
.oauth2ResourceServer(oauth2 -> oauth2.jwt(Customizer.withDefaults()))
.build();
}
}
// Exception Handler
@RestControllerAdvice
public class GlobalExceptionHandler {
@ExceptionHandler(EntityNotFoundException.class)
public ProblemDetail handleNotFound(EntityNotFoundException ex) {
return ProblemDetail.forStatusAndDetail(NOT_FOUND, ex.getMessage());
}
}
Configuration Templates
# application.yml
spring:
application:
name: ${APP_NAME:my-service}
profiles:
active: ${SPRING_PROFILES_ACTIVE:local}
jpa:
open-in-view: false
properties:
hibernate:
jdbc.batch_size: 50
management:
endpoints:
web:
exposure:
include: health,info,metrics,prometheus
endpoint:
health:
probes:
enabled: true
server:
error:
include-stacktrace: never
Common Patterns
Layer Architecture
Controller → Service → Repository → Database
↓ ↓ ↓
DTOs Entities Entities
Validation Patterns
public record CreateUserRequest(
@NotBlank @Size(max = 100) String name,
@Email @NotBlank String email,
@NotNull @Min(18) Integer age
) {}
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
| Problem | Cause | Solution | |---------|-------|----------| | Bean not found | Missing @Component | Add annotation or @Bean | | Circular dependency | Constructor injection | Use @Lazy or refactor | | 401 Unauthorized | Security config | Check permitAll paths | | Slow startup | Heavy auto-config | Exclude unused starters |
Debug Properties
debug=true
logging.level.org.springframework.security=DEBUG
spring.jpa.show-sql=true
Debug Checklist
□ Check /actuator/conditions
□ Verify active profiles
□ Review security filter chain
□ Check bean definitions
□ Test health endpoints
Usage
Skill("java-spring-boot")
Related Skills
java-testing- Spring test patternsjava-jpa-hibernate- Data access