Update Application Properties

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 136 views

Introduction

As we move our Recipe Data API from development to production, it's essential to update our configuration to connect to a persistent database. Currently, our application uses an in-memory H2 database for development, which is not suitable for production use. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of updating our configuration to connect to a MySQL database on Heroku.

Update Application Properties

The first step in updating our configuration is to configure the application-prod.properties file with the correct MySQL connection details. This file will override the default settings in the application-dev.properties file.

# application-prod.properties

spring.datasource.url=jdbc:mysql://your-heroku-mysql-url.com:3306/your-database-name
spring.datasource.username=your-username
spring.datasource.password=your-password
spring.jpa.hibernate.ddl-auto=update

Replace the placeholders with your actual MySQL connection details. Make sure to update the spring.jpa.hibernate.ddl-auto property to update to enable Hibernate to update the database schema.

Database Migration Considerations

Our current development configuration uses hibernate.ddl-auto=update to rapidly iterate on our application. However, this setting is not suitable for production use, as it can lead to data loss and schema inconsistencies. In production, we need to use a more robust approach to database migration.

One popular approach is to use a tool like Liquibase or Flyway to manage database migrations. These tools allow us to define a migration script that updates the database schema to match our application's entity model.

For example, we can create a Liquibase changelog.xml file to manage our database migrations:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<databaseChangeLog xmlns="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog"
                    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
                    xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog
                    http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog/dbchangelog-3.5.xsd">

    <changeSet id="1" author="your-name">
        <createTable tableName="recipe">
            <column name="id" type="bigint" autoIncrement="true">
                <constraints primaryKey="true"/>
            </column>
            <column name="name" type="varchar(255)"/>
            <column name="ingredients" type="varchar(255)"/>
            <column name="instructions" type="varchar(255)"/>
            <column name="imageUrl" type="varchar(255)"/>
        </createTable>
    </changeSet>
</databaseChangeLog>

This changelog.xml file defines a migration script that creates a recipe table with the required columns.

Testing

Before deploying our application to production, we need to test it with a persistent MySQL database. We can use a Heroku JawsDB Maria add-on or a similar service to create a test instance connected to a MySQL database.

To verify that our application works as expected, we need to test the following scenarios:

CRUD Operations

GET: Verify that we can retrieve a recipe by its ID.
POST: Verify that we can create a new recipe.
PUT: Verify that we can update an existing recipe.
DELETE: Verify that we can delete a recipe.

Data Persistence

Verify that data persists correctly between application restarts.
Verify that the production schema matches the Recipe entity (including new fields such as ingredients, instructions, and imageUrl).

Schema Validation

Verify that the production schema matches the Recipe entity (including new fields such as ingredients, instructions, and imageUrl).

By following these steps and testing our application thoroughly, we can ensure that our Recipe Data API is ready for production use with a persistent MySQL database on Heroku.

Conclusion

Introduction

In our previous article, we walked through the process of updating our configuration to connect to a persistent MySQL database on Heroku. However, we understand that you may have questions about the process. In this article, we'll address some of the most frequently asked questions about updating our production DB configuration for the Recipe Data API.

Q: What is the difference between application-dev.properties and application-prod.properties?

A: The application-dev.properties file is used for development purposes, while the application-prod.properties file is used for production purposes. The application-prod.properties file overrides the default settings in the application-dev.properties file.

Q: Why do we need to update the hibernate.ddl-auto property?

A: The hibernate.ddl-auto property is used to control how Hibernate interacts with the database. In development, we use hibernate.ddl-auto=update to rapidly iterate on our application. However, in production, we need to use a more robust approach to database migration. We recommend using a tool like Liquibase or Flyway to manage database migrations.

Q: What is Liquibase, and how does it work?

A: Liquibase is a tool that helps you manage database migrations. It allows you to define a migration script that updates the database schema to match your application's entity model. Liquibase uses a changelog.xml file to manage database migrations.

Q: How do I create a Liquibase `changelog.xml` file?

A: To create a Liquibase changelog.xml file, you need to define a migration script that updates the database schema to match your application's entity model. You can use the following example as a starting point:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<databaseChangeLog xmlns="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog"
                    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
                    xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog
                    http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog/dbchangelog-3.5.xsd">

    <changeSet id="1" author="your-name">
        <createTable tableName="recipe">
            <column name="id" type="bigint" autoIncrement="true">
                <constraints primaryKey="true"/>
            </column>
            <column name="name" type="varchar(255)"/>
            <column name="ingredients" type="varchar(255)"/>
            <column name="instructions" type="varchar(255)"/>
            <column name="imageUrl" type="varchar(255)"/>
        </createTable>
    </changeSet>
</databaseChangeLog>

Q: How do I test my application with a persistent MySQL database?

A: To test your application with a persistent MySQL database, you need to create a test instance connected to a MySQL database. You can use a Heroku JawsDB Maria add-on or a similar service to create a test instance.

Q: What are the benefits of using a persistent MySQL database?

A: Using a persistent MySQL database provides several benefits, including:

Improved data persistence: Data persists correctly between application restarts.
Robust database schema: The production schema matches the Recipe entity (including new fields such as ingredients, instructions, and imageUrl).
Scalability: A persistent MySQL database can handle a large number of requests and scale with your application.

Conclusion

Updating our configuration to connect to a persistent MySQL database is a crucial step in moving our Recipe Data API from development to production. By following the steps outlined in this article and addressing the frequently asked questions, we can ensure that our application is ready for production use with a robust database configuration.