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Getting Started

This chapter walks through the first steps of building Spring WebFlux applications. It is intentionally practical: start here to get a working app, then deepen your knowledge with the subsequent chapters.

What this chapter covers

  • Core reactive concepts and when to use them
  • Building a minimal WebFlux application from scratch (RouterFunction + HandlerFunction)
  • Bootstrapping a WebFlux application with Spring Boot (starters and auto-configuration)
  • Running and testing the examples included in this repository

How to use this chapter

  • Follow the tutorials in order if you are new to reactive programming
  • Skip the manual wiring if you prefer to use Spring Boot first
  • Try the runnable examples in the repository to reinforce concepts

Chapter roadmap

  1. Introduction to core concepts and runtime choices
  2. Create a WebFlux app from scratch (low-level wiring)
  3. Create a WebFlux app using Spring Boot (fast path)

Prerequisites

  • JDK 11+ and a working Maven/Gradle build
  • Basic familiarity with Spring or Java web development

The tutorials are independent and include runnable examples and configuration notes. Refer to later chapters (Reactive Web, Reactive Data, Security) for integration patterns and production considerations.