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Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs · Lesson

Integration Tests with @SpringBootTest

Test the whole application context.

Integration Tests with @SpringBootTest is a free Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 3 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 Microservices & REST APIs learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

What is an Integration Test

An integration test exercises multiple layers together — controller, service, repository — using a real Spring context.

It catches wiring and configuration problems that unit tests miss.

@SpringBootTest

@SpringBootTest boots the entire application context, loading all beans.

@SpringBootTest
class ApplicationIntegrationTest {
    @Autowired
    UserService userService;

    @Test
    void contextLoads() {
        assertThat(userService).isNotNull();
    }
}

WebEnvironment Modes

Control whether a real server starts with the webEnvironment attribute.

  • MOCK (default) — mock servlet environment
  • RANDOM_PORT — real server on a random port
@SpringBootTest(
    webEnvironment = WebEnvironment.RANDOM_PORT)
class ApiTest { }

Testing with TestRestTemplate

With a real port you can make actual HTTP calls using TestRestTemplate.

@Autowired
TestRestTemplate restTemplate;

@Test
void getsUser() {
    ResponseEntity<User> response =
        restTemplate.getForEntity("/users/1", User.class);
    assertThat(response.getStatusCode())
        .isEqualTo(HttpStatus.OK);
}

WebTestClient

WebTestClient is a fluent client that works for both MVC and WebFlux apps.

@Autowired
WebTestClient webTestClient;

@Test
void getsUser() {
    webTestClient.get().uri("/users/1")
        .exchange()
        .expectStatus().isOk()
        .expectBody()
        .jsonPath("$.name").isEqualTo("Alice");
}

Using a Test Database

By default Spring Boot can replace your datasource with an in-memory H2 database for tests.

@SpringBootTest
@AutoConfigureTestDatabase
class RepositoryIntegrationTest {
    @Autowired UserRepository repository;
}

Test Properties

Override configuration for tests with @TestPropertySource or an application-test.properties profile.

@SpringBootTest
@TestPropertySource(properties = {
    "feature.enabled=false"
})
class FeatureTest { }

Activating Profiles

Use @ActiveProfiles to run with a specific Spring profile.

@SpringBootTest
@ActiveProfiles("test")
class ServiceTest { }

Transactional Rollback

Annotate tests with @Transactional so each test's database changes roll back automatically, keeping tests isolated.

@SpringBootTest
@Transactional
class UserPersistenceTest {
    @Test
    void savesAndRollsBack() {
        repository.save(new User("Alice"));
    }
}

Slicing for Speed

Full @SpringBootTest is slow. Prefer slices like @DataJpaTest or @WebMvcTest when you only need one layer.

@DataJpaTest

@DataJpaTest loads only JPA components and an embedded database — ideal for repository tests.

@DataJpaTest
class UserRepositoryTest {
    @Autowired UserRepository repository;

    @Test
    void findsByName() {
        repository.save(new User("Alice"));
        assertThat(repository.findByName("Alice"))
            .hasSize(1);
    }
}

Quick Check

Test your understanding of integration testing.

Recap

You learned to write integration tests:

  • @SpringBootTest loads the full context
  • RANDOM_PORT + TestRestTemplate/WebTestClient for real HTTP
  • @Transactional rolls back DB changes
  • Use slices for speed

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Integration Tests with @SpringBootTest” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Integration Tests with @SpringBootTest” is free to read here on the web, and the Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs 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 Microservices & REST APIs course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Integration Tests with @SpringBootTest”?

Test the whole application context. You practise Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs 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 Microservices & REST APIs?

No prior experience is required. Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 3 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Integration Tests with @SpringBootTest” 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 Microservices & REST APIs lesson?

Yes. Every Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs 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. Unit Testing with JUnit and Mockito
  2. Web Layer Tests with MockMvc
  3. Integration Tests with @SpringBootTest
  4. Real Dependencies with Testcontainers
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