In this session, we'll see how to build real Spring applications using Spring Boot. We'll also look under the covers to see what makes Spring Boot tick.

Spring offers a number of configuration options: XML configuration, Java configuration, and Groovy configuration to name a few. To some degree, component–scanning and autowiring help eliminate some explicit configuration. But, in general, most Spring applications require some essential "bootstrap" configuration to enable key functionality. What's the right way to build Spring applications when there are so many choices?

What if I told you that configuration was optional?

Spring Boot is an exciting new project that makes it extremely easy to create stand–alone, production–ready Spring applications. Spring Boot takes an opinionated approach to configuring Spring, making it possible to create Spring applications with little, or in some cases, no Spring configuration at all!