Profiles and Media

Goal

This snapshot advances Ironclad Gazette by teaching you to show author profiles and accept constrained avatar uploads.

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

Upload handlers must check content type and size, generate safe filenames, and store paths—not user-supplied names.

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

Walkthrough

Protect profile editing, allowlist display name and bio, and serve uploads from a resource handler.

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

if (image.getSize() > 2 * 1024 * 1024) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Image too large");

Run and verify

Enter 08-Profiles-And-Media, 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.

docker compose -f ../docker-compose.yml up -d
git clone https://github.com/michaeldunga1/fcc-spring-blog.git
cd fcc-spring-blog/08-Profiles-And-Media
cp .env.example .env
mvn spring-boot:run

Troubleshooting

If no file arrives, confirm enctype=multipart/form-data and the field name.

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

Upload a valid image, then reject a text file.

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