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Spring Environment Setup

Step 1 - Setup Java Development Kit (JDK)​

You can download the latest version of SDK from Oracle's Java site − Java SE Downloads. You will find instructions for installing JDK in the downloaded files, follow the given instructions to install and configure the setup. Finally, set PATH and JAVA_HOME environment variables to refer to the directory that contains java and javac, typically java_install_dir/bin and java_install_dir respectively.

If you are running Windows and have installed the JDK in C:\jdk1.6.0_15, you would have to put the following line in your C:\autoexec.bat file.

set PATH=C:\jdk1.6.0_15\bin;%PATH%
set JAVA_HOME=C:\jdk1.6.0_15

Alternatively, on Windows NT/2000/XP, you will have to right-click on My Computer, select Properties → Advanced → Environment Variables. Then, you will have to update the PATH value and click the OK button.

On Unix (Solaris, Linux, etc.), if the SDK is installed in /usr/local/jdk1.6.0_15 and you use the C shell, you will have to put the following into your .cshrc file.

setenv PATH /usr/local/jdk1.6.0_15/bin:$PATH
setenv JAVA_HOME /usr/local/jdk1.6.0_15

Alternatively, if you use an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) like Borland JBuilder, Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, or Sun ONE Studio, you will have to compile and run a simple program to confirm that the IDE knows where you have installed Java. Otherwise, you will have to carry out a proper setup as given in the document of the IDE.

Step 2 - Install Apache Common Logging API​

You can download the latest version of the Apache Commons Logging API from Apache Commons Logging. Once you download the installation, unpack the binary distribution into a convenient location. For example, in C:\commons-logging-1.1.1 on Windows, or /usr/local/commons-logging-1.1.1 on Linux/Unix. This directory will have the following jar files and other supporting documents, etc.

Make sure you set your CLASSPATH variable on this directory properly otherwise you will face a problem while running your application.

Step 3 - Setup Eclipse IDE​

All the examples in this tutorial have been written using Eclipse IDE. So we would suggest you should have the latest version of Eclipse installed on your machine.

To install Eclipse IDE, download the latest Eclipse binaries from Eclipse Downloads. Once you download the installation, unpack the binary distribution into a convenient location. For example, in C:\eclipse on Windows, or /usr/local/eclipse on Linux/Unix and finally set the PATH variable appropriately.

Eclipse can be started by executing the following commands on Windows machines, or you can simply double-click on eclipse.exe.

%C:\eclipse\eclipse.exe

Eclipse can be started by executing the following commands on Unix (Solaris, Linux, etc.) machines −

$/usr/local/eclipse/eclipse

After a successful startup, if everything is fine then it should display the following result −

Step 4 - Setup Spring Framework Libraries​

Now if everything is fine, then you can proceed to set up your Spring framework. Following are the simple steps to download and install the framework on your machine.

  1. Make a choice whether you want to install Spring on Windows or Unix, and then proceed to the next step to download the .zip file for Windows and .tz file for Unix.

  2. Download the latest version of Spring framework binaries from Spring Releases.

At the time of developing this tutorial, spring-framework-4.1.6.RELEASE-dist.zip was downloaded on a Windows machine. After the downloaded file was unzipped, it gives the following directory structure inside E:\spring.

You will find all the Spring libraries in the directory E:\spring\libs. Make sure you set your CLASSPATH variable on this directory properly otherwise you will face a problem while running your application. If you are using Eclipse, then it is not required to set CLASSPATH because all the settings will be done through Eclipse.

Once you are done with this last step, you are ready to proceed to your first Spring example.

Steps to Create Spring Application in Eclipse IDE​

Let's see the 5 steps to create the first Spring application using Eclipse IDE.

1. Create the Java Project​

Go to File menu → New → Project → Java Project. Write the project name e.g., firstspring and click Finish. Now the Java project is created.

2. Add Spring Jar Files​

There are mainly three jar files required to run this application.

  • org.springframework.core-3.0.1.RELEASE-A
  • com.springsource.org.apache.commons.logging-1.1.1
  • org.springframework.beans-3.0.1.RELEASE-A

To load the jar files in Eclipse IDE, right-click on your project → Build Path → Add external archives → select all the required jar files → Finish.

3. Create Java Class​

In this case, we are simply creating the Student class with a name property. The name of the student will be provided by the XML file. It is just a simple example, not the actual use of Spring. We will see the actual use in the Dependency Injection chapter. To create the Java class, right-click on src → New → Class → Write the class name e.g., Student → Finish. Write the following code:

package com.javatpoint;

public class Student {
    private String name;

    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }

    public void setName(String name) {
        this.name = name;
    }

    public void displayInfo() {
        System.out.println("Hello: " + name);
    }
}

This is a simple bean class, containing only one property name with its getter and setter methods. This class contains one extra method named displayInfo() that prints the student name with a hello message.

4. Create the XML File​

To create the XML file click on src → New → File → Give the file name such as applicationContext.xml → Finish. Open the applicationContext.xml file, and write the following code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xmlns:p="http://www.springframework.org/schema/p"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
    http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-3.0.xsd">

    <bean id="studentbean" class="com.javatpoint.Student">
        <property name="name" value="Vimal Jaiswal"></property>
    </bean>

</beans>

The bean element is used to define the bean for the given class. The property sub-element of bean specifies the property of the Student class named name. The value specified in the property element will be set in the Student class object by the IOC container.

5. Create the Test Class​

Create the Java class e.g., Test. Here we are getting the object of the Student class from the IOC container using the getBean() method of BeanFactory. Let's see the code of the test class.

package com.javatpoint;

import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanFactory;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.XmlBeanFactory;
import org.springframework.core.io.ClassPathResource;
import org.springframework.core.io.Resource;

public class Test {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Resource resource = new ClassPathResource("applicationContext.xml");
        BeanFactory factory = new XmlBeanFactory(resource);

        Student student = (Student) factory.getBean("studentbean");
        student.displayInfo();
    }
}

Conclusion​

Setting up the Java Development Kit (JDK), Apache Commons Logging API, Eclipse IDE, and Spring Framework libraries are essential steps in preparing your development environment for building Java applications with the Spring Framework. By following these steps, you ensure that your environment is properly configured, enabling you to focus on writing and running your Spring applications efficiently.

Once your setup is complete, creating your first Spring application becomes straightforward with the help of Eclipse IDE. This guide walked you through the steps to create a simple Spring application, demonstrating the power and flexibility of the Spring Framework.

With your environment ready and your first application up and running, you're well on your way to exploring the many features and capabilities of Spring. Happy coding!