Scaffolding the Java Spring Backend and Connecting to Postgres

TLDR

Scaffolding a Java Spring project with all relevant dependencies. Then, creating a Postgres DB instance and connecting the Java service to it.

• JDBC
• Spring Web
• Flyway Migrations
• Web Sockets (not yet used)

Main work

• Installing Postgres, DBeaver, Maven, IntelliJ.
• Setting up a basic REST controller, JDBC repository, and Postgres connection in the Java service.
• Running tests via curl and IntelliJ debugger breakpoints.

Challenges

• Configuring / installing Postgres on Ubuntu and understanding the many CLI tools related to it.
• Setting up DBeaver for database interactions via GUI.
• Setting up JDBC boilerplate code and executing an end-to-end manual test.
• Documenting / desiging the system to be buildable / repeatable (e.g., creating the database tables, spinning up Angular server, spinning up Java service).
• Do not yet have a tool for making HTTP requests (want to avoid Postman not that it is paid).
  • Possibly will just use curl until requests get too complicated.

Learnings

• Postgres is very powerful, and it has many configuration options I’ll likely misconfigure from inexperience.
• Flyway can be used to make repeatable database migrations. Should be able to use to make database schema buildable / repeatable for deployments.