Explain the concept of Spring Boot Starters. Provide an example.

Category : Interview Questions | Sub Category : Spring Boot Interview Questions | By Prasad Bonam Last updated: 2023-08-04 14:02:06 Viewed : 290

In Spring Boot, starters are a set of pre-configured dependencies that simplify the process of setting up and configuring various functionalities in your application. Starters provide a convenient way to include specific sets of dependencies in your project with minimal effort. Each starter is focused on a particular feature or functionality, and they follow the naming convention "spring-boot-starter-*" (e.g., spring-boot-starter-web, spring-boot-starter-data-jpa, spring-boot-starter-security, etc.).

The purpose of Spring Boot starters is to provide a curated set of dependencies that work together seamlessly. They allow developers to get started quickly by including just one starter in their project, rather than having to manage multiple dependencies individually.

Here is how starters work in Spring Boot:

1. Minimal Configuration: When you include a starter in your project, Spring Boot automatically configures most of the required settings for that particular feature. This is achieved through auto-configuration, which is a core feature of Spring Boot.

2. Transitive Dependencies: Starters not only include the direct dependencies but also pull in their transitive dependencies. This ensures that all necessary dependencies for the specific functionality are available without any additional configuration.

3. Opinionated Defaults: Starters are designed to follow best practices and provide opinionated defaults. This allows developers to get up and running quickly with sensible configurations.

Example of using the spring-boot-starter-web starter:

To create a basic web application using Spring Boot, you can include the spring-boot-starter-web starter in your project. It provides the necessary dependencies for building a web application, such as an embedded web server (Tomcat, Jetty, or Undertow), Spring Web (Spring MVC), and other required components.

Maven Example (pom.xml):

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<dependencies>
    <!-- Include the spring-boot-starter-web starter -->
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

Gradle Example (build.gradle):

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dependencies {
    // Include the spring-boot-starter-web starter
    implementation `org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web`
}

By including the spring-boot-starter-web starter, you dont need to manually configure the embedded web server or Spring Web. Spring Boot will take care of setting up the web application with sensible defaults, and you can start building your web endpoints and controllers right away.

Starters are a powerful feature in Spring Boot that help developers save time and effort by providing pre-configured dependencies and sensible defaults. They are an essential part of the Spring Boot ecosystem and make it easy to develop production-ready applications quickly.