How to Create a Spring Boot Project with IntelliJ IDEA? (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 19 Mar, 2026

Spring Boot simplifies Java application development, and IntelliJ IDEA provides a powerful environment to build and run such applications. Creating a Spring Boot project in IntelliJ is quick and efficient using tools like Spring Initializr. It helps developers set up projects with minimal configuration.

• Easily create projects using Spring Initializr integration
• Automatic dependency management with Maven/Gradle
• Quick setup and execution within IntelliJ IDEA

Steps to Create a Spring Boot Application with IntelliJ IDEA

Follow the steps below to create and set up a Spring Boot project in IntelliJ IDEA

Step 1: Install IntelliJ IDEA

• Download IntelliJ IDEA from the official JetBrains website
• Choose: Community Edition (Free) or Ultimate Edition
• Install and launch the IDE

Step 2: Create a Spring Boot Project

Open the browser and search Spring Initializr

• **Project: Maven Project or Gradle Project (choose based on your preference)
• **Language: Java
• **Spring Boot Version: Choose the latest stable version.
• **Project Metadata: Group (e.g., com.example), Artifact (e.g., demo), Name, and Package Name.
• **Dependencies: Add dependencies like Spring Web, Spring Data JPA, and Spring Boot DevTools (depending on your project requirements).

Click on the **GENERATE button to download the project as a ZIP file.

Extract the ZIP file to your desired location on your local machine.

Step 3: Import the Spring Boot Project into IntelliJ IDEA

• Open IntelliJ IDEA.
• Go to File -> Open.
• Navigate to the folder where you extracted the Spring Boot project.
• Select the project folder (e.g., demo) and click OK.
• IntelliJ IDEA will automatically detect the project type (Maven or Gradle) and start importing the project.
• Wait for IntelliJ IDEA to download all the required dependencies and set up the project.

Step 4: Explore the SpringBoot Project Structure

Once the project is imported, we will see the following structure in IntelliJ IDEA:

• **src/main/java: Contains the main application code.
• **src/main/resources: Contains configuration files like application.properties or application.yml.
• **src/test/java: Contains test cases for your application.
• **pom.xml (for Maven) or build.gradle (for Gradle): Manages project dependencies.

Step 5: Run Spring Boot Application

• Locate the main application class (usually named DemoApplication.java or similar).
• Right-click on the class and select Run.
• IntelliJ IDEA will start the Spring Boot application, and you will see the logs in the Run window.

**Additional Tips:

• **Dependencies: Make sure to add the necessary dependencies in Spring Initializr based on your project requirements.
• **Configuration: You can configure your application further by editing the **application.properties or **application.yml file.
• **Plugins: IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition supports Spring Boot development, but you might want to install the Spring Assistant plugin for additional features.