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Spring Boot 4 Complete Guide · Lesson

Creating REST Controllers

Design and implement RESTful endpoints using `@RestController` and various mapping annotations.

Creating REST Controllers is a free Spring Boot 4 Complete Guide lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 1 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Spring Boot 4 Complete Guide learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

Welcome to REST Controllers!

You're about to dive into building powerful web services with Spring Boot! Today, we'll learn how to create RESTful APIs, which are the backbone of modern web applications.

Think of a REST API as a standard way for different computer systems to talk to each other over the internet.

What are RESTful APIs?

REST stands for REpresentational State Transfer. It's an architectural style for networked applications.

  • Resources: Everything is a resource (e.g., a user, a product).
  • Unique Identifiers: Each resource has a unique URL (e.g., /users/123).
  • Standard Methods: We use standard HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE to interact with resources.

Spring Boot makes implementing these a breeze!

Introducing `@RestController`

In Spring Boot, the @RestController annotation is key to building RESTful web services. It's a special type of Spring component.

  • It tells Spring that this class handles incoming web requests.
  • It combines @Controller and @ResponseBody.

@ResponseBody means the return value of your methods should be directly bound to the web response body.

Your First GET Endpoint

Let's create a simple endpoint that responds to a GET request. GET requests are used to retrieve data.

We use the @GetMapping annotation to map HTTP GET requests to specific handler methods.

Runnable GET Example

Try running this simple Spring Boot application. It defines a /hello endpoint that returns a greeting.

package com.coddykit;

import org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication;
import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.SpringBootApplication;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController;

@SpringBootApplication
public class MyApplication {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    SpringApplication.run(MyApplication.class, args);
  }
}

@RestController
class HelloController {
  @GetMapping("/hello")
  public String sayHello() {
    return "Hello from CoddyKit!";
  }
}

Testing Your GET Endpoint

After running the previous code, your Spring Boot application starts on port 8080 by default.

You can access your new endpoint by opening a web browser and navigating to:

  • http://localhost:8080/hello

You should see the message "Hello from CoddyKit!" displayed.

Introducing `@PostMapping`

While GET is for retrieving data, POST requests are typically used to create new resources on the server.

The @PostMapping annotation maps HTTP POST requests to a specific method. When you send data, it often comes in the 'request body'.

We use @RequestBody to tell Spring to convert the incoming body into a Java object (or a simple String).

Runnable POST Example

Let's add a POST endpoint to our existing controller. This endpoint will accept a name in the request body and return a personalized greeting.

package com.coddykit;

import org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication;
import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.SpringBootApplication;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PostMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestBody;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController;

@SpringBootApplication
public class MyApplication {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    SpringApplication.run(MyApplication.class, args);
  }
}

@RestController
class HelloController {
  @GetMapping("/hello")
  public String sayHello() {
    return "Hello from CoddyKit!";
  }

  @PostMapping("/greet")
  public String greetUser(@RequestBody String name) {
    return "Hello, " + name + "!";
  }
}

Path Variables with `@PathVariable`

Sometimes, you want to extract a value directly from the URL path itself. This is where path variables come in handy.

The @PathVariable annotation allows you to bind a URL template variable to a method parameter.

  • Example URL: /users/123
  • Here, 123 is a path variable representing a user ID.

Using Path Variables in Code

This example adds an endpoint that uses a path variable to greet a specific person whose name is part of the URL.

package com.coddykit;

import org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication;
import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.SpringBootApplication;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PathVariable;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PostMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestBody;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController;

@SpringBootApplication
public class MyApplication {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    SpringApplication.run(MyApplication.class, args);
  }
}

@RestController
class HelloController {
  @GetMapping("/hello")
  public String sayHello() {
    return "Hello from CoddyKit!";
  }

  @PostMapping("/greet")
  public String greetUser(@RequestBody String name) {
    return "Hello, " + name + "!";
  }

  @GetMapping("/greet/{name}")
  public String greetPathVar(@PathVariable String name) {
    return "Greetings, " + name + " from path!";
  }
}

Quick Check: Controller Basics

You've learned about `@RestController` and basic mapping annotations. Let's test your understanding.

Recap: Creating REST Controllers

Great job! You've taken your first steps into building RESTful APIs with Spring Boot:

  • We understood what RESTful APIs are and their purpose.
  • We learned about the fundamental @RestController annotation.
  • You implemented and tested endpoints for GET requests using @GetMapping.
  • You also created a basic POST endpoint with @PostMapping and used @RequestBody.
  • Finally, you saw how to extract dynamic data from URLs using @PathVariable.

Next, we'll dive deeper into handling various HTTP requests and crafting responses!

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Creating REST Controllers” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Creating REST Controllers” is free to read here on the web, and the Spring Boot 4 Complete Guide course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Spring Boot 4 Complete Guide course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Creating REST Controllers”?

Design and implement RESTful endpoints using `@RestController` and various mapping annotations. You practise Spring Boot 4 Complete Guide with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Spring Boot 4 Complete Guide?

No prior experience is required. Spring Boot 4 Complete Guide on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 1 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Creating REST Controllers” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this Spring Boot 4 Complete Guide lesson?

Yes. Every Spring Boot 4 Complete Guide lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. Creating REST Controllers
  2. Handling HTTP Requests & Responses
  3. Input Validation & Error Handling
  4. Documenting REST APIs with OpenAPI and Swagger
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