Native Builds with Spring Boot

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 116 views

Describe your motivation

As the adoption of Native Builds with Spring Boot continues to grow, it's essential to ensure that this technology has no regressions. This is particularly crucial for production environments, where reliability and stability are paramount. According to Vaadin's documentation, Native Builds with Spring Boot are a production-ready option for building high-performance applications. However, to guarantee the success of these builds, it's vital to test them thoroughly. In this article, we'll explore the process of testing Native Builds with Spring Native, focusing on a separate smoke test that verifies the build and runtime have no errors and the app is functional.

Describe the solution you'd like

To achieve this goal, we propose a separate smoke test in the platform that builds a native build for a Spring skeleton project with GraalVM. This test will serve as a sanity check to ensure that the build process is error-free and the resulting application is functional. Here's a step-by-step overview of the proposed solution:

Step 1: Set up the environment

Install GraalVM on the system.
Set up a Spring skeleton project using the Spring Initializr.
Configure the project to use GraalVM as the build tool.

Step 2: Build the native image

Use the GraalVM native-image tool to build the native image.
Verify that the build process completes successfully without any errors.

Step 3: Run the native image

Run the native image using the ./ command.
Verify that the application starts successfully and is functional.

Step 4: Test the application

Perform a series of tests to verify that the application is working as expected.
Test the application's functionality, including any business logic, data access, and user interface components.

Step 5: Verify the results

Verify that the application is running without any errors or exceptions.
Verify that the application is performing as expected, including any performance metrics.

Describe alternatives you've considered

While there are several alternatives to testing Native Builds with Spring Native, we've considered the following options:

Manual testing: While manual testing can be effective, it's time-consuming and prone to human error. Automated testing is a more efficient and reliable option.
Integration testing: Integration testing can help identify issues with the application's components, but it may not catch issues with the native build process.
Unit testing: Unit testing can help identify issues with individual components, but it may not catch issues with the native build process or the application's overall functionality.

Additional context

To provide additional context, here are some key points to consider:

Native Builds with Spring Boot: Native Builds with Spring Boot are a production-ready option for building high-performance applications.
GraalVM: GraalVM is a high-performance runtime that can be used to build native images.
Spring skeleton project: A Spring skeleton project is a basic project that can be used as a starting point for building a Spring application.
Smoke test: A smoke test is a basic test that verifies that the application is running without any errors or exceptions.

Benefits of testing Native Builds with Spring Native

Testing Native Builds with Spring Native offers several benefits, including:

Improved reliability: Testing Native Builds with Spring Native helps ensure that the build process is error-free and the resulting application is functional.
Increased efficiency: Automated testing saves time and reduces the risk of human error.
Better performance: Testing Native Builds with Spring Native helps identify performance issues and ensures that the application is optimized for production environments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, testing Native Builds with Spring Native is a crucial step in ensuring the success of these builds. By proposing a separate smoke test in the platform that builds a native build for a Spring skeleton project with GraalVM, we can verify that the build and runtime have no errors and the app is functional. This test will serve as a sanity check to ensure that the build process is error-free and the resulting application is functional. By following the steps outlined in this article, developers can ensure that their Native Builds with Spring Native are reliable, efficient, and performant.

Step-by-Step Guide to Testing Native Builds with Spring Native

Here's a step-by-step guide to testing Native Builds with Spring Native:

Step 1: Set up the environment

Install GraalVM on the system.
Set up a Spring skeleton project using the Spring Initializr.
Configure the project to use GraalVM as the build tool.

Step 2: Build the native image

Use the GraalVM native-image tool to build the native image.
Verify that the build process completes successfully without any errors.

Step 3: Run the native image

Run the native image using the ./ command.
Verify that the application starts successfully and is functional.

Step 4: Test the application

Perform a series of tests to verify that the application is working as expected.
Test the application's functionality, including any business logic, data access, and user interface components.

Step 5: Verify the results

Verify that the application is running without any errors or exceptions.
Verify that the application is performing as expected, including any performance metrics.

Example Use Case

Here's an example use case for testing Native Builds with Spring Native:

Suppose we have a Spring Boot application that uses GraalVM to build a native image. We want to test the native image to ensure that it's functional and performs well in production environments. We can use the steps outlined in this article to test the native image.

Step 1: Set up the environment

Install GraalVM on the system.
Set up a Spring skeleton project using the Spring Initializr.
Configure the project to use GraalVM as the build tool.

Step 2: Build the native image

Use the GraalVM native-image tool to build the native image.
Verify that the build process completes successfully without any errors.

Step 3: Run the native image

Run the native image using the ./ command.
Verify that the application starts successfully and is functional.

Step 4: Test the application

Perform a series of tests to verify that the application is working as expected.
Test the application's functionality, including any business logic, data access, and user interface components.

Step 5: Verify the results

Verify that the application is running without any errors or exceptions.
Verify that the application is performing as expected, including any performance metrics.

By following these steps, we can ensure that our Native Builds with Spring Native are reliable, efficient, and performant.

Conclusion

Q: What is the purpose of testing Native Builds with Spring Native?

A: The purpose of testing Native Builds with Spring Native is to ensure that the build process is error-free and the resulting application is functional. This is crucial for production environments, where reliability and stability are paramount.

Q: Why is it essential to test Native Builds with Spring Native?

A: It's essential to test Native Builds with Spring Native because it helps identify issues with the build process and the resulting application. This ensures that the application is reliable, efficient, and performant in production environments.

Q: What is a smoke test, and how does it relate to testing Native Builds with Spring Native?

A: A smoke test is a basic test that verifies that the application is running without any errors or exceptions. In the context of testing Native Builds with Spring Native, a smoke test is used to verify that the build process is error-free and the resulting application is functional.

Q: What are the benefits of testing Native Builds with Spring Native?

A: The benefits of testing Native Builds with Spring Native include:

Improved reliability: Testing Native Builds with Spring Native helps ensure that the build process is error-free and the resulting application is functional.
Increased efficiency: Automated testing saves time and reduces the risk of human error.
Better performance: Testing Native Builds with Spring Native helps identify performance issues and ensures that the application is optimized for production environments.

Q: What are the steps involved in testing Native Builds with Spring Native?

A: The steps involved in testing Native Builds with Spring Native include:

Set up the environment: Install GraalVM on the system, set up a Spring skeleton project using the Spring Initializr, and configure the project to use GraalVM as the build tool.
Build the native image: Use the GraalVM native-image tool to build the native image, and verify that the build process completes successfully without any errors.
Run the native image: Run the native image using the ./ command, and verify that the application starts successfully and is functional.
Test the application: Perform a series of tests to verify that the application is working as expected, and test the application's functionality, including any business logic, data access, and user interface components.
Verify the results: Verify that the application is running without any errors or exceptions, and verify that the application is performing as expected, including any performance metrics.

Q: What are some common issues that can arise during testing Native Builds with Spring Native?

A: Some common issues that can arise during testing Native Builds with Spring Native include:

Build errors: Issues with the build process, such as missing dependencies or incorrect configuration.
Runtime errors: Issues with the application's runtime, such as crashes or unexpected behavior.
Performance issues: Issues with the application's performance, such as slow response times or high memory usage.

Q: How can I troubleshoot issues during testing Native Builds with Spring Native?

A: To troubleshoot issues during testing Native Builds with Spring Native, you can:

Check the build logs: Review the build logs to identify any errors or issues during the build process.
Use debugging tools: Use debugging tools, such as a debugger or a logging framework, to identify issues with the application's runtime.
Test the application: Perform a series of tests to verify that the application is working as expected, and test the application's functionality, including any business logic, data access, and user interface components.

Q: What are some best practices for testing Native Builds with Spring Native?

A: Some best practices for testing Native Builds with Spring Native include:

Use automated testing: Use automated testing to save time and reduce the risk of human error.
Test the application thoroughly: Test the application thoroughly, including any business logic, data access, and user interface components.
Verify the results: Verify that the application is running without any errors or exceptions, and verify that the application is performing as expected, including any performance metrics.

Q: How can I ensure that my Native Builds with Spring Native are reliable, efficient, and performant?

A: To ensure that your Native Builds with Spring Native are reliable, efficient, and performant, you can:

Test the application thoroughly: Test the application thoroughly, including any business logic, data access, and user interface components.
Use automated testing: Use automated testing to save time and reduce the risk of human error.
Verify the results: Verify that the application is running without any errors or exceptions, and verify that the application is performing as expected, including any performance metrics.

Q: What are some resources available for learning more about testing Native Builds with Spring Native?

A: Some resources available for learning more about testing Native Builds with Spring Native include:

Spring documentation: The official Spring documentation provides detailed information on testing Native Builds with Spring Native.
GraalVM documentation: The official GraalVM documentation provides detailed information on using GraalVM to build native images.
Online tutorials: Online tutorials and courses are available to help developers learn more about testing Native Builds with Spring Native.