Spring Boot Project Setup: Your First Assignment

Hey there, future Spring Boot wizards! Ready to dive into your first project? This guide will walk you through the steps to get your Spring Boot application up and running, from generating the initial project to pushing it to your very own GitHub repository. We'll cover everything you need to know to complete your first assignment, ensuring you're set up for success in the world of Java development. Let's get started!

Setting the Stage: Project Initialization with Spring Initializr

Your journey begins with Spring Initializr, the official project generator for Spring Boot applications. Think of it as your magic wand, creating the basic structure and dependencies of your project with just a few clicks. Navigate to https://start.spring.io/ and let's configure your project.

Choosing Your Tools and Technologies

First, select your preferred settings. Make sure you use the following settings for the Spring Boot project:

• Project: Maven or Gradle (Maven is used here). These are build automation tools that manage your project's dependencies and build process. Choose Maven.
• Language: Java. We're building in Java, the backbone of enterprise applications. Make sure to select Java.
• Spring Boot: 3.x (or the latest stable version). This specifies the Spring Boot version. Keep this updated for security and feature benefits.
• Group: This is your project's group ID, often reflecting your organization or domain. You can customize this, but for this assignment, we'll keep it simple.
• Artifact: This is the name of your project. We'll be using spring-boot-demo-[yourname]. Replace [yourname] with your actual name or a suitable identifier.
• Name: This is the display name of your project. It can be the same as your artifact ID, or something more descriptive.
• Description: A brief summary of your project. This is a good place to start explaining what your application will do. Keep it short and sweet!
• Package name: This is the base package for your Java code. It follows the group and artifact naming conventions, creating a clear namespace for your classes.
• Packaging: JAR (Java Archive) is the standard for Spring Boot applications. JAR packages your application and all its dependencies into a single, executable file.
• Java version: Java 25 or higher is recommended, ensuring you have the latest features and security updates.

Adding Dependencies: The Building Blocks

Next, let's select your dependencies. At a minimum, you'll need:

• Spring Web: This is the core dependency for building web applications with Spring Boot. It provides the necessary components for handling HTTP requests and responses. This is important!
• Lombok: A helpful library that reduces boilerplate code by automatically generating getters, setters, constructors, and more. It helps to keep the code clean and concise. This is a great tool for code maintainability.

Consider adding other dependencies like Spring Data JPA (for database interaction) or Spring Security (for authentication and authorization) as you progress. Don't worry about those for the first steps, we will add them later. Feel free to explore other dependencies too and see what is available.

After configuring these settings, click 'Generate.' This will download a ZIP file containing your initial project structure. Make sure you download the generated ZIP and then proceed to the next steps. It's time to create your project!

Setting up Your GitHub Repository: Version Control and Collaboration

Now that you have your project, it's time to create a home for it on GitHub. GitHub is an online platform for hosting Git repositories, providing version control, collaboration, and project management tools. Here's how to create your repository:

Creating a New Repository

1. Log in to your GitHub account (or create one if you don't have it). Remember to use the organizational account in the format m01-project.devs.
2. Click on the 'New' button to create a new repository.
3. Name your repository spring-boot-demo-[yourname]. Replace [yourname] with your actual name or a unique identifier. This helps with tracking your projects.
4. Add a description for your project (optional but recommended). This is a great place to describe your project. A brief description of what your application will do is important to include.
5. Choose whether to make your repository public or private. For this assignment, a public repository is acceptable. Think about project visibility and the need to share your code.
6. Initialize the repository with a README file. Check the box to initialize the repository with a README file. This provides a brief description of the project right from the start.
7. Click 'Create repository'. Now, you have a blank GitHub repository for your project.

Uploading Your Project

1. Extract the downloaded ZIP file to a suitable location on your computer. Make sure you can easily access these files from your IDE (Integrated Development Environment). You will need to extract this file to be able to proceed.
2. Open your project in your IDE (e.g., IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, VS Code). Most IDEs have built-in Git integration. Check your IDE's documentation if you need any help.
3. Initialize Git in your project directory. If your IDE doesn't handle this automatically, you might need to initialize a Git repository in your project directory using the command line: git init. Check that the Git is set up correctly.
4. Add all files to staging area. Use git add . to add all files to the staging area. This prepares the files to be committed. This command stages all the files in your project directory for the next commit.
5. Commit the initial code. Commit your changes with a descriptive message. Use `git commit -m