Spring Boot Backend Development Course, Development Environment, 0.3 Installing Postman

Setting Up the Development Environment

Spring Boot is a Java-based framework that helps to build Spring applications more easily and quickly. In this tutorial, we will explore how to set up a backend development environment using Spring Boot. This process will include basic development environment setup, as well as how to install Postman at the end.

1. Installing the Java Development Kit (JDK)

To use Spring Boot, you first need to install the JDK. The JDK is a core component of Java, providing the tools necessary to develop and run Java applications.

  • Download the JDK from the official Oracle website (here).
  • Proceed with the installation, keeping in mind the JDK path during the installation process. It typically installs in the Program Files on the C drive.
  • Once the installation is complete, verify that the JDK is installed correctly by entering the command java -version in CMD (Command Prompt).

2. Installing an IDE

You need to install an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for Spring Boot development. The most commonly used IDEs are IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse. Both of these IDEs support Spring Boot, and you can choose according to your preference.

  • IntelliJ IDEA
    • Download the Community Edition from the official IntelliJ IDEA website (here).
    • Run the downloaded file to proceed with the installation.
    • Once installed, run IntelliJ IDEA and click ‘Create New Project’ to create a new Spring Boot project.
  • Eclipse
    • Download Eclipse IDE for Enterprise Java Developers from the official Eclipse website (here).
    • Run the installer after downloading to proceed with the installation.
    • Once installed, run Eclipse and create a new project by going to ‘File’ > ‘New’ > ‘Java Project’.

3. Initializing Spring Boot

You can use Spring Initializr to generate the initial project to start a Spring Boot application.

  • Access Spring Initializr in your web browser.
  • Select ‘Maven Project’ or ‘Gradle Project’ under Project.
  • Select ‘Java’ under Language.
  • Choose the desired Spring Boot version under Select the version.
  • Enter the group name for the package in Group and the project name in Artifact.
  • Select the necessary libraries under Dependencies. For example, you can add ‘Spring Web’, ‘Spring Data JPA’, ‘H2 Database’, etc.
  • Click the ‘Generate’ button to download the zip file and extract it.

4. Installing Postman

Postman is one of the most widely used tools for testing APIs and sending requests. It is very useful when building RESTful APIs while developing Spring Boot applications.

  • Visit the official Postman website (here) to download the appropriate version for your operating system.
  • Run the downloaded installer to install Postman.
  • Once installed, run Postman and create a new request.

How to Use Postman

Let’s briefly look at how to send API requests using Postman. First, you can send requests while the Spring Boot application is running properly.

  1. Launch Postman and click the New button at the top to create a new request.
  2. Enter the name of the request in Request Name and select the collection to save the request in Save to.
  3. Select the HTTP method. You can choose GET or POST, for example.
  4. Enter the API endpoint where you want to send the request in the URL. For example, it would look like http://localhost:8080/api/users.
  5. When ready to send the request, click the Send button. You can check the results at the bottom.

Conclusion

In this post, we explained how to set up a development environment for Spring Boot backend development and how to install Postman. The upcoming tutorials will continue to cover how to develop actual applications using Spring Boot. Make sure to follow the configurations explained in this course as you move on to the next steps.