How to Create a Spring Boot Project in Visual Studio Code

Spring Boot is a powerful framework that simplifies building Java applications. Visual Studio Code (VS Code), combined with its robust extensions, is a lightweight yet powerful IDE for Java development. In this guide, you’ll learn how to set up a Spring Boot project in Visual Studio Code (VS Code) IDE and create and test a simple REST API.

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Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following installed:

1. Java Development Kit (JDK 11 or later)
   Verify installation by running the following command in the terminal:

   java -version
   

2. Visual Studio Code
   Download and install VS Code from https://code.visualstudio.com.

Step 1: Install Required Extensions in VS Code

1. Open VS Code and click on the Extensions icon in the left sidebar or press Ctrl+Shift+X.
2. Search for and install the following extensions:
• Extension Pack for Java: Provides support for Java development.
• Spring Boot Extension Pack: Includes tools for Spring Boot projects.

Install the Extension Pack for Java

Install the Spring Boot Extension Pack

Step 2: Create a New Spring Boot Project

Option 1: Using Spring Initializr in VS Code

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+P to open the Command Palette.
2. Type and select Spring Initializr: Generate a Maven Project.
3. Follow the prompts to configure your project:
   • Group ID: com.example
   • Artifact ID: springboot-rest-api
   • Dependencies: Select Spring Web
4. Choose a folder to save the project and click Finish.

Step 3: Open the Project in VS Code

1. Launch VS Code and click File > Open Folder.
2. Navigate to and select your Spring Boot project folder.
3. VS Code will recognize it as a Maven or Gradle project and download dependencies automatically.

Step 4: Write Your First Spring Boot REST API

1. In the src/main/java/com/example/springbootrestapi directory, create a new class named HelloController.java:

   package com.example.springbootrestapi;
   
   import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
   import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController;
   
   @RestController
   public class HelloController {
   
       @GetMapping("/")
       public String hello() {
           return "Hello, Spring Boot!";
       }
   }
   

2. Open the SpringbootRestApiApplication.java file and ensure it contains the @SpringBootApplication annotation:

   package com.example.springbootrestapi;
   
   import org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication;
   import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.SpringBootApplication;
   
   @SpringBootApplication
   public class SpringbootRestApiApplication {
   
       public static void main(String[] args) {
           SpringApplication.run(SpringbootRestApiApplication.class, args);
       }
   }

Step 5: Run the Spring Boot Application

1. In VS Code, open the Run and Debug view by clicking the bug icon in the sidebar or pressing Ctrl+Shift+D.
2. Click Run Java in the Run and Debug panel to start the application.
3. Alternatively, run the following command in the integrated terminal:

   mvn spring-boot:run
   

4. The application will start on port 8080 by default.

Step 6: Test the REST API

1. Open your browser or use a tool like Postman or cURL to test the endpoint:

   http://localhost:8080/
   

2. You should see the response:

   Hello, Spring Boot!

Step 7: Add Another REST API Endpoint (Optional)

To add more functionality, create another endpoint:

1. Modify HelloController.java:

   @GetMapping("/greet")
   public String greet() {
       return "Welcome to Spring Boot with Visual Studio Code!";
   }
   

2. Restart the application and test the new endpoint:

   http://localhost:8080/greet
   

Troubleshooting Tips

• Dependencies Not Downloading: Ensure Maven or Gradle is installed and properly configured in your system PATH.
• Port Already in Use: Change the default port by adding the following in application.properties (located in src/main/resources):

  server.port=8081
  

• Slow IntelliSense: Disable unnecessary extensions to improve performance.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created a Spring Boot project in Visual Studio Code and built a basic REST API. VS Code, with its powerful extensions, is a fantastic tool for developing Spring Boot applications. Keep exploring the Spring Boot framework and VS Code’s features to enhance your development workflow. Happy coding!