If you’re looking to build a Java Spring application that utilizes a PostgreSQL database, you’re in luck. Spring Boot makes it simple to integrate with a variety of data sources, including PostgreSQL. In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to connect your PostgreSQL database to your Spring Boot project, assuming you already have PostgreSQL installed on your system. If you need help installing PostgreSQL, please refer to blog.

1. Add PostgreSQL dependency

First, you’ll need to add the PostgreSQL driver dependency to your project. You can do this by adding the following code to your build.gradle or pom.xml file, depending on whether you’re using Gradle or Maven:

For Gradle:

dependencies {
    implementation 'org.postgresql:postgresql:42.3.1'
}

For Maven:

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.postgresql</groupId>
        <artifactId>postgresql</artifactId>
        <version>42.3.1</version>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

2. Add PostgreSQL properties to application.properties file

Next, you’ll need to add the appropriate properties to your application.properties file. Here are the required properties for connecting to a PostgreSQL database:

spring.datasource.url=jdbc:postgresql://localhost:5432/{your_database_name}
spring.datasource.username={your_database_username}
spring.datasource.password={your_database_password}
spring.datasource.driver-class-name=org.postgresql.Driver
spring.jpa.database-platform=org.hibernate.dialect.PostgreSQLDialect

Note that you’ll need to replace {your_database_name}, {your_database_username}, and {your_database_password} with the appropriate values for your PostgreSQL database.

3. Create an Entity Class

Next, you’ll need to create an entity class that maps to a table in your PostgreSQL database. Here’s an example:

@Entity
@Table(name = "users")
public class User {
    @Id
    @GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.IDENTITY)
    private Long id;
 
    private String firstName;
    private String lastName;
    private String email;
 
    // getters and setters
}

4. Create a Repository Interface

Next, you’ll need to create a repository interface that extends the JpaRepository interface. Here’s an example:

@Repository
public interface UserRepository extends JpaRepository<User, Long> {
}

5. Use your Repository in your Controller

Finally, you’ll need to use your repository in your controller to retrieve data from your PostgreSQL database. Here’s an example:

@RestController
@RequestMapping("/api/users")
public class UserController {
    @Autowired
    private UserRepository userRepository;
 
    @GetMapping
    public List<User> getUsers() {
        return userRepository.findAll();
    }
 
    // other controller methods
}

Congratulations! You’ve successfully connected your PostgreSQL database to your Spring Boot project. Now you’re ready to start building your application.

How to Connect PostgreSQL Database in Spring Boot Project

In conclusion, connecting PostgreSQL to your Spring Boot project is a simple and powerful way to improve your application’s functionality and capabilities. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily add PostgreSQL properties, create entity classes and repositories, and use them in your controller to retrieve data. With Spring Boot’s rich ecosystem of libraries and features, you can take your application to the next level and provide even more value to your users.