What is Spring Boot, and why is it important to learn?

Spring Boot is an open-source product created by Pivotal Software, a company specializing in application frameworks called Spring Frameworks. These frameworks are known for their popularity among Java users due to their support for web applications using the Java programming language. When it comes to Spring Frameworks, Spring Boot in particular is known for its default configurations, lessening the need for custom ones. It requires no code generation, speeding up the development process and an application’s time to market. Spring Boot is important to learn for any Application Developer specializing in Java. Thanks to its open-source nature, this application framework offers standard configurations approved by consensus of experts and Java community members. It provides Application Developers the ability to begin working on an application with fewer delays in the process.

Can I take free Spring Boot courses on Coursera?

Yes. You can start learning Spring Boot on Coursera for free in two ways: Preview the first module of many Spring Boot courses at no cost. This includes video lessons, readings, graded assignments, and Coursera Coach (where available). Start a 7-day free trial for Specializations or Coursera Plus. This gives you full access to all course content across eligible programs within the timeframe of your trial. If you want to keep learning, earn a certificate in Spring Boot, or unlock full course access after the preview or trial, you can upgrade or apply for financial aid.

What jobs can you get in Spring Boot?

In recent years, Spring Boot has been on the radar of Java Developers and employers alike. According to staffing-solution company Collabera, Spring Boot is a skill that top candidates for Java Development should possess . The fact that big names like Netflix use Spring Boot as the basis of their SOA reflects how high-profile and in-demand the skill really is. Spring Boot users can expect a nice salary to boot as well—according to Neuvoo, the average Java Developer using Spring Boot earns $120,000 per year in the U.S . Spring Boot is highly applicable to Java Developers and Developers alike, and it’s useful to a number of other titles including Microservice Developer, API Engineer, UI Developer, Technical Writer, Full-Stack Web Developer, Backend Developer, Product Manager, UX Developer, and others that are related.

What skills or experience do I need to already have before starting to learn Spring Boot?

You should have experience using both core Java and advanced Java before starting to learn Spring Boot since it's a Java-based web application and microservices development tool. You'll also benefit from having basic skills in MySQL, SQLPlus, HTML, CSS, Maven, RESTful, and Gradle. You should consider learning the Spring Framework as well as an IDE (Spring Tool Suite) to be prepared to learn Spring Boot as well.

Best Spring Boot Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Spring Boot Course Catalog

Google Cloud
Building Scalable Java Microservices with Spring Boot and Spring Cloud
Skills you'll gain: Microservices, Application Deployment, Google Cloud Platform, Cloud Applications, Spring Boot, Kubernetes, Java, Software Architecture, Data Migration, Cloud Services, Application Performance Management, Application Programming Interface (API), Databases
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
LearnQuest
Spring MVC, Spring Boot and Rest Controllers
Skills you'll gain: Model View Controller, Spring Framework, Restful API, Spring Boot, Web Services, JSON, YAML, Java, Web Applications, Configuration Management, Angular, Java Programming, Application Frameworks, Software Architecture, Extensible Markup Language (XML)
4.1
Rating, 4.1 out of 5 stars
211 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Board Infinity
Foundations of Spring Boot & MVC Architecture
Skills you'll gain: Back-End Web Development, Java, Software Documentation, API Design, Software Design Patterns
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
LearnQuest
Spring Framework
Skills you'll gain: Spring Framework, Microservices, JUnit, Model View Controller, Hibernate (Java), Restful API, Application Frameworks, Spring Boot, Software Architecture, API Gateway, Web Services, Java Programming, Object-Relational Mapping, Transaction Processing, Java, Service Oriented Architecture, Cloud Computing Architecture, JSON, YAML, Load Balancing
3.9
Rating, 3.9 out of 5 stars
676 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Status: AI skills
IBM
IBM Java Developer
Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, Cloud-Native Computing, Software Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Hibernate (Java), Database Design, Docker (Software), Containerization, Git (Version Control System), GitHub, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Microservices, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Large Language Modeling, Restful API, Java Programming, Engineering Software, Version Control, Database Management, Software Design
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
5.8K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Packt
Spring Boot Foundations
Skills you'll gain: Spring Boot, Hibernate (Java), Web Applications, Application Development, Application Deployment, Restful API, Application Frameworks, Bootstrap (Front-End Framework), Development Environment, Model View Controller, Java Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE), UI Components, Authentications, Databases
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
8 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

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Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Packt
Learn Spring Boot in 100 Steps - Beginner to Expert
Skills you'll gain: Spring Boot, Application Development, Application Deployment, Application Frameworks, Software Testing, Test Case, Development Environment, Model View Controller, API Design, Software Development Tools, Java Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE), UI Components, Data Access, Authentications, SQL, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), JSON, Functional Design, Databases
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
9 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Board Infinity
Spring and Spring Boot Development
Skills you'll gain: CI/CD, Jenkins, Spring Boot, Application Deployment, Docker (Software), Back-End Web Development, API Gateway, OAuth, Containerization, Cloud-Native Computing, Authentications, Amazon CloudWatch, Java, Software Documentation, API Design, Java Programming, Continuous Deployment, Software Design Patterns, Application Programming Interface (API), React.js
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Board Infinity
Java FullStack Developer
Skills you'll gain: Angular, Web Applications, HTML and CSS, Web Development, Eclipse (Software), JavaScript Frameworks, Spring Boot, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Restful API, Java Programming, Model View Controller, Object Oriented Design, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Front-End Web Development, Spring Framework, Java, Web Services, Integrated Development Environments, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Javascript
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
695 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Board Infinity
Advanced Spring Boot Development
Skills you'll gain: Spring Boot, API Gateway, Java Programming, Continuous Deployment, Java, JUnit, Configuration Management
Advanced · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Vanderbilt University
Scalable Microservices for Developers
Skills you'll gain: Microservices, Spring Boot, Spring Framework, IntelliJ IDEA, Java Programming, Restful API, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Java, Application Deployment, Software Architecture, API Design, Integrated Development Environments, Scalability, Service Oriented Architecture, Web Applications, Software Testing, Unit Testing, Object-Relational Mapping, Distributed Computing, Application Security
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
52 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Coursera Project Network
Spring Boot with Embedded Database
Skills you'll gain: Spring Boot, Database Design, Object-Relational Mapping, Application Frameworks, Data Modeling, Database Development, Java Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE), Application Development, Database Architecture and Administration, Requirements Analysis
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
29 reviews
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours