REST API with Spring Boot - Beginner Student Notes and
Sample Code
1. Introduction to REST API
What is an API? An API (Application Programming Interface) allows different software
systems to communicate.
What is REST? REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style for
designing networked applications.
Key HTTP Methods:
GET: Retrieve data
POST: Create data
PUT: Update entire data
PATCH: Update partial data
DELETE: Remove data
2. Setting Up Spring Boot
Steps:
Use Spring Initializr
Select: spring-boot-starter-web
Sample Code:
@SpringBootApplication
public class DemoApplication {
public static void main(String[] args) {
SpringApplication.run(DemoApplication.class, args);
}
}
3. Handling Request Input
@RequestParam Example:
@GetMapping("/greet")
public String greet(@RequestParam String name) {
return "Hello, " + name;
}
@PathVariable Example:
@GetMapping("/student/{id}")
public String getStudent(@PathVariable int id) {
return "Student ID: " + id;
}
@RequestBody Example:
@PostMapping("/register")
public String register(@RequestBody Student student) {
return "Registered: " + student.getName();
}
@RequestHeader Example:
@GetMapping("/welcome")
public String welcome(@RequestHeader("X-User-Name") String username) {
return "Welcome, " + username;
}
4. Sending Responses
Return JSON:
@GetMapping("/student")
public Student getStudent() {
return new Student("Aarav", 14, "8th");
}
Using ResponseEntity:
@GetMapping("/status")
public ResponseEntity<String> getStatus() {
return ResponseEntity.status(HttpStatus.OK).body("Service is running");
}
5. CRUD Operations
Controller Examples:
@PostMapping("/students")
public Student create(@RequestBody Student s) { return repo.save(s); }
@GetMapping("/students/{id}")
public Student read(@PathVariable int id) { return
repo.findById(id).orElse(null); }
@PutMapping("/students/{id}")
public Student update(@RequestBody Student s, @PathVariable int id) {
s.setId(id);
return repo.save(s);
}
@DeleteMapping("/students/{id}")
public void delete(@PathVariable int id) { repo.deleteById(id); }
6. Input Validation
With @Valid:
public class Student {
@NotBlank
private String name;
@Min(5)
private int age;
}
@PostMapping("/validate")
public ResponseEntity<String> validateStudent(@Valid @RequestBody Student
student) {
return ResponseEntity.ok("Valid student");
}
7. Exception Handling
@ControllerAdvice
public class GlobalExceptionHandler {
@ExceptionHandler(MethodArgumentNotValidException.class)
public ResponseEntity<String>
handleValidationErrors(MethodArgumentNotValidException ex) {
return ResponseEntity.badRequest().body("Validation failed");
}
}
8. Logging
@Slf4j
@RestController
public class LoggingExample {
@GetMapping("/log")
public String logTest() {
log.info("Info log example");
return "Logged!";
}
}
9. Simple Security (Header Token)
@GetMapping("/secure")
public String secure(@RequestHeader("token") String token) {
if ("abc123".equals(token)) return "Access granted";
return "Access denied";
}
10. Testing with Postman / curl
Postman:
Choose method (GET, POST, etc.)
Add URL and headers
Use raw body for JSON
Curl:
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/register -H "Content-Type:
application/json" -d '{"name":"Aarav","age":14,"grade":"8th"}'
1. Write a Spring Boot controller method to greet a user by their name using
@PathVariable.
2. Create an endpoint /sum which accepts two numbers as query parameters and returns
their sum.
3. Define a class Student with fields name and age. Then write a POST method to
accept a student object as JSON and return a success message.
4. Write a method to return the list of all students as JSON. Use a List<Student> as a
return type.
5. Create a REST API that returns "Welcome, Admin" only when the request header
role has the value admin.
6. Write a DELETE method to delete a student from the list using an index value as
@PathVariable.
7. Use ResponseEntity to return a custom message and HTTP status 404 if a student is
not found by index.
8. What will be the output of this URL call:
http://localhost:8080/greet/Ravi
(Assume your method is public String greet(@PathVariable String name))
9. Create a simple REST endpoint that returns current date and time in JSON.
10. Create a controller with the base path /api and two endpoints:
o GET /api/health – returns "UP"
o POST /api/echo – returns whatever string is sent in the request body.
11. Create a REST API to insert a student into the database using SQL INSERT.
12. Get All Students (GET)
Create an endpoint to retrieve all student records using SQL SELECT * FROM
students.
13. Get Student by ID (GET)
Create a GET endpoint /students/{id} that fetches a student by ID.
14. Update Student (PUT)
Write a PUT endpoint that updates student details using SQL UPDATE.
15. Delete Student (DELETE)
Write a DELETE endpoint to remove a student from the database using their ID.
16. ✅ Error Handling
Modify your code to return a 404 Not Found if the student ID doesn't exist while
fetching or deleting.
