spring-io/initializr

★ 3,679JavaAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5LicenseSetup · moderate

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Spring Initializr))
    What it does
      Generate project skeletons
      Configure dependencies
      Produce build files
    Interfaces
      Web UI
      REST API
      IDE plugins
    Use cases
      New project setup
      Private company instance
      Consistent team templates
    Tech stack
      Java
      Spring Boot

mindmap root((Spring Initializr)) What it does Generate project skeletons Configure dependencies Produce build files Interfaces Web UI REST API IDE plugins Use cases New project setup Private company instance Consistent team templates Tech stack Java Spring Boot

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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Generate a new Spring Boot project with your chosen dependencies pre-configured and ready to open in IntelliJ or Eclipse.

USE CASE 2

Deploy a private Initializr instance pre-loaded with your company's internal libraries and standard dependency versions.

USE CASE 3

Integrate project generation into an IDE plugin or CI script via the REST API.

Tech stack

JavaSpring Boot

Getting it running

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires Java and Maven or Gradle, self-hosting needs configuration of available dependencies.

Apache 2.0, use freely for any purpose including commercial, modify and redistribute with copyright notice.

In plain English

Spring Initializr is a web-based project generator for Spring applications in Java and Kotlin. If you have ever visited start.spring.io, selected your dependencies from a form, and downloaded a ready-to-build zip file, this repository is the software that powers that experience. Spring is a large framework used widely for building web services, APIs, and enterprise Java applications. Starting a new project correctly involves considerable boilerplate: directory layout, build configuration, version declarations, and dependency wiring. Spring Initializr removes that friction by letting you describe what you want, choose the libraries you need (such as database connectors, security modules, or web frameworks), and receive a complete project skeleton you can open immediately in your IDE. The repository is written in Java and runs both a browser-friendly website and a REST API. IDE plugins for IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, and VS Code call this same REST API to offer in-editor project creation without opening a browser. Developers using those editors get the full generator experience directly inside their tools, which is one reason the project has broad adoption across the Java ecosystem. Beyond using the public service at start.spring.io, you can deploy your own instance. Companies that want to pre-configure internal libraries, enforce standard dependency versions, or remove options that do not apply to their stack can run a customized Initializr for their teams. This is a common use case in larger organizations that want consistent project structure across all their Java services. The project does not run application code and does not include the Spring framework itself. It is purely a generation tool: you configure what you want, it produces the scaffolding, and development starts from there.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

Generate a Spring Boot project with Java 21, Maven, Spring Web, Spring Data JPA, and PostgreSQL driver using the Initializr REST API. Show the curl command.

Prompt 2

How do I run my own Spring Initializr instance and add custom internal library dependencies to the options?

Prompt 3

Write a script that calls the Spring Initializr API to create a project, unzips it, and initializes a git repo in one step.

Prompt 4

What configuration do I need to add a new Spring Boot starter to my private Initializr instance so my team can pick it from the form?

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