Getting Started

Goal

This snapshot advances Ironclad Gazette by teaching you to create a minimal Spring Boot app on port 8080.

Every numbered folder is a complete app. Run this stage independently, then compare it with the previous folder.

Prerequisites

Use Java 17+, Maven, a terminal, and Docker for MySQL stages. You should recognize classes, annotations, and HTTP verbs.

Port 8080 must be free. Copy .env.example before starting database stages.

• Java 17 and Maven
• A code editor and terminal
• Docker from part 4 onward

Concepts

Spring Boot auto-configures an embedded Tomcat server. A @RestController returns JSON from typed handler methods.

Keep controllers thin: accept input, delegate to repositories or services, and let Thymeleaf escape output by default.

Walkthrough

Create the main application class, add a root handler, and run with Maven on port 8080.

Read the example, then open the matching snapshot. The repository includes the surrounding setup and error handling.

@SpringBootApplication
public class IroncladGazetteApplication {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    SpringApplication.run(IroncladGazetteApplication.class, args);
  }
}

Run and verify

Enter 01-Getting-Started, start MySQL when needed, copy .env.example, and run mvn spring-boot:run on port 8080.

Open http://127.0.0.1:8080. Watch the terminal for validation and database errors.

git clone https://github.com/michaeldunga1/fcc-spring-blog.git
cd fcc-spring-blog/01-Getting-Started
cp .env.example .env
mvn spring-boot:run

Troubleshooting

If the browser cannot connect, confirm the app is still running. Address already in use means another process owns 8080.

Connection refused usually means Docker MySQL is stopped or the port is not 3308. For auth issues, confirm you are using email (not username) on the login form.

• Read the first error first
• Restart after environment changes
• Never commit .env or uploads

Try this

Add a /health route that returns JSON ok: true.

Test a happy path and one invalid or unauthorized request.

• Make one small change
• Test it in the browser
• Compare with the next snapshot only after it works