spring-boot-best-practices
Apply core coding standards, dependency injection, and configuration for Spring Boot 3. Use when applying Spring Boot 3 coding standards or configuring dependency injection. (triggers: application.properties, **/*Service.java, autowired, requiredargsconstructor, configuration-properties, slf4j)
Best use case
spring-boot-best-practices is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Apply core coding standards, dependency injection, and configuration for Spring Boot 3. Use when applying Spring Boot 3 coding standards or configuring dependency injection. (triggers: application.properties, **/*Service.java, autowired, requiredargsconstructor, configuration-properties, slf4j)
Teams using spring-boot-best-practices should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/spring-boot-best-practices/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How spring-boot-best-practices Compares
| Feature / Agent | spring-boot-best-practices | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Apply core coding standards, dependency injection, and configuration for Spring Boot 3. Use when applying Spring Boot 3 coding standards or configuring dependency injection. (triggers: application.properties, **/*Service.java, autowired, requiredargsconstructor, configuration-properties, slf4j)
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Spring Boot Best Practices
## **Priority: P0**
## Implementation Guidelines
### Dependency Injection (DI)
- **Constructor Injection**: ALWAYS use **Constructor Injection** for immutability. Use **`@RequiredArgsConstructor`** (Lombok) to reduce boilerplate. Mark all dependencies as **`final`**.
- **Avoid @Autowired**: NEVER use field injection. It prevents unit testing without Spring context and hides dependencies.
### Configuration & Data
- **Type-Safe Config**: Use `@ConfigurationProperties` with Records (Java 17+) instead of `@Value`. Use Spring profile-specific files (e.g., `application-dev.yml`, `application-prod.yml`) and set active profile via `SPRING_PROFILES_ACTIVE`. Never hardcode secret values in properties files.
- **Validation**: Combine with **`@Validated`** and **Jakarta Bean Validation** (`@NotNull`, `@NotEmpty`) to fail fast at startup. Use **`application.yaml`** for structured configuration.
- **DTOs**: Use **`records`** as immutable **DTOs** to reduce boilerplate and ensure thread safety. Handle empty values with **`Optional`** to avoid `NullPointerException`.
### Observability & Quality
- **Error Handling**: Implement **`@ControllerAdvice`** and **`ProblemDetails` (RFC 7807)** for standardized error responses.
- **Logging**: Use **`SLF4J`** with **`@Slf4j`**. Implement **Structured Logging** by logging arguments (`log.info("id: {}", id)`).
- **Tooling**: Mandate **`Spotless`** or **`Checkstyle`** for code formatting. Use **`sdkman`** to manage JDK 21+ versions.
## Anti-Patterns
- **No @Autowired on fields**: Use constructor injection via @RequiredArgsConstructor.
- **No Setters on dependencies**: Declare all injected fields as final.
- **No context.getBean()**: Inject dependencies via constructor DI.
- **No log-and-swallow**: Rethrow or handle exceptions explicitly.
## References
- [Implementation Examples](references/implementation.md)Related Skills
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