Spring Boot is an open-source framework for building production-ready, stand-alone, and easy-to-deploy Java-based applications. It is part of the larger Spring ecosystem, which includes the Spring Framework, Spring Data, Spring Security, and other projects. Spring Boot simplifies the process of developing robust and scalable applications by providing a set of conventions and defaults for common tasks.
Here are some key features and concepts associated with Spring Boot:
- Auto-Configuration: Spring Boot uses auto-configuration to automatically configure application components based on the dependencies you include in your project. This means you can get started quickly without needing to write extensive configuration code.
- Spring Boot Starters:Spring Boot provides a collection of pre-configured templates called “starters” for common use cases (e.g., web applications, data access, messaging). Starters simplify the process of adding dependencies to your project.
- Production-Ready: Spring Boot offers built-in features for monitoring, security, and management, making it easier to create production-ready applications. It integrates with tools like Spring Boot Actuator for monitoring and management endpoints.
- Opinionated Defaults: Spring Boot follows a philosophy of “opinionated defaults,” meaning it makes certain choices and assumptions to simplify development. However, these defaults can be overridden if necessary.
- Spring Boot CLI: Spring Boot provides a Command Line Interface (CLI) that allows developers to create, test, and run Spring Boot applications from the command line, making it handy for quick prototyping and development.
- Spring Boot Actuator: It provides a set of built-in tools for monitoring and managing Spring Boot applications in production, including health checks, metrics, and environment information.
- Spring Initializr:Spring Initializr is a web-based tool that generates a basic Spring Boot project structure with your chosen dependencies. It’s an excellent way to kickstart a new Spring Boot project.
- Spring Initializr: Spring Initializr is a web-based tool that generates a basic Spring Boot project structure with your chosen dependencies. It’s an excellent way to kickstart a new Spring Boot project.
Standalone: Spring Boot applications are designed to be standalone, which means they come with an embedded web server (such as Tomcat, Jetty, or Undertow) by default. This eliminates the need for external web server configurations.