Spring Boot Project Setup - Editor and Tools

This section explains what tools you need, how to create a Spring Boot project, and how the project is structured, in a practical and beginner-friendly way.

Required Tools & Software

To start working with Spring Boot, a few basic tools must be installed on your system. These tools form the foundation of backend development.

🔸 Java Development Kit (JDK) – Spring Boot runs on Java, so JDK 8 or above is mandatory. In real projects, JDK 17 or later is recommended as it is more stable and long-term supported.
🔸 IDE (Integrated Development Environment) – Popular choices include IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, or VS Code. IntelliJ is widely preferred for Spring Boot due to its excellent support and productivity features.
🔸 Build Tool – Maven or Gradle is used to manage dependencies and build the project. Maven is more beginner-friendly and commonly used in enterprise projects.
🔸 Spring Initializr / IDE Plugin – Helps generate a ready-to-use Spring Boot project with proper configuration in minutes.
🔸 Browser / API Client – Tools like Postman or even a browser are used to test REST APIs during development.

Having these tools ready ensures a smooth development experience without unnecessary setup issues.

Creating a Spring Boot Project

Spring Boot projects are usually created using Spring Initializr or directly through an IDE, which makes the process very simple.

🔸 Choose the project type (Maven or Gradle)
🔸 Select the programming language (Java)
🔸 Pick a stable Spring Boot version
🔸 Define project metadata such as Group, Artifact, Name, and Package
🔸 Select required dependencies like Spring Web, JPA, or Security
🔸 Generate the project and import it into your IDE

This process creates a complete starter project with all required dependencies and configurations, allowing you to focus on writing application logic instead of setup work.

Project Structure Overview

Spring Boot follows a clean and standardized project structure. Understanding this structure is important for writing maintainable and scalable applications.

🔸 src/main/java – Contains all application source code
🔸 controller – Handles incoming HTTP requests
🔸 service – Contains business logic
🔸 repository – Manages database operations
🔸 model / entity – Represents database tables
🔸 src/main/resources – Holds configuration files and static resources
🔸 application.properties / application.yml – Main configuration file
🔸 src/test/java – Unit and integration tests

This layered structure enforces separation of concerns and is widely followed in professional Spring Boot projects.

application.properties vs application.yml

Spring Boot allows configuration using either properties files or YAML files.

🔸 application.properties

🔸 Uses simple key-value pairs
🔸 Easy to understand for beginners
🔸 Suitable for small configurations
🔸 Example: server.port=8080

🔸 application.yml (YAML)

🔸 Uses a hierarchical structure
🔸 More readable for complex configurations
🔸 Reduces repetition
🔸 Preferred in large applications

Both formats work the same internally. For small projects, properties files are perfectly fine, while YAML is often chosen for larger and more structured configurations.