Spring Boot project skill for Claude: scaffold from start.spring.io

Makes Claude generate a new Spring Boot Java project from start.spring.io, then apply defaults for config, PostgreSQL, logging, security and Docker.

Installs: 9.5K; on skills.sh
Stars: 40.7K; on GitHub
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

Claude first checks whether the folder already holds a pom.xml or build.gradle. If it does, the skill treats it as an existing project, reads its versions and never upgrades them without asking.

For a new project, Claude looks up the latest stable Spring Boot at start.spring.io, downloads a project zip with curl, unzips it and applies the defaults in the reference files. It finishes by building, running and calling the health endpoint. It needs a JDK, and Docker for Testcontainers and Compose.

Good for

Java developers who start new Spring Boot services often
Teams that want the same logging, security and Docker setup in every project
Developers who want Claude to leave existing projects and their versions alone

Install create-spring-boot-java-project

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the create-spring-boot-java-project skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill create-spring-boot-java-project

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Node.js.

Pick one route. The Copilot CLI plugin route installs the whole java-development plugin: 4 skills (create-spring-boot-java-project, java-docs, java-junit, java-springboot), listed in its plugin.json; its folder holds a plugin.json and a README, and no hooks or MCP config files. The skills CLI and folder routes install just this skill. The skill runs curl, unzip and the Maven or Gradle wrapper, so there is no Claude app upload route.

Built from the package data we hold. Not yet tested by us.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Create Spring Boot Java Project Skeleton

Sections in SKILL.md

Check Java version
Download Spring Boot project template
Unzip the downloaded file
Remove the downloaded zip file
Change directory to the project root
Add additional dependencies
Add SpringDoc, Redis, JPA and MongoDB configurations
Add docker-compose.yaml with Redis, PostgreSQL and MongoDB services
Add .gitignore file
Run Maven test command
Run Maven run command (Optional)
Let's do this step by step

Key facts

Author: Julien Dubois, who contributed this skill adapted from his jdubois/dr-jskill; listed in github/awesome-copilot
License: MIT
Installs on skills.sh: 9,528 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars: 40,666 for the whole github/awesome-copilot repo (Nov 2, 2026)
Last repo commit: Oct 30, 2026
Audits on skills.sh: Gen Agent Trust Hub: pass, Socket: pass, Snyk: pass
What it includes: 13 files including SKILL.md: 8 reference files, 4 Dockerfile assets, no .py, .js or .sh files
Part of: The java-development Copilot CLI plugin: 4 skills per its plugin.json
Needs: A JDK, curl and unzip; Docker for Testcontainers and Compose
Origin: Adapted from the Apache-2.0 skill jdubois/dr-jskill, per references/PROVENANCE.md

What it includes

Reads pom.xml or build.gradle and keeps existing versions
If a build file exists, Claude follows its Spring Boot, Java and test versions and proposes upgrades instead of making them.
Try: “Add a Spring Boot service here, but keep the versions this project already uses.”
Files · Step 0: Detect before you create
Asks start.spring.io for the latest stable Spring Boot
Claude queries start.spring.io metadata at run time and falls back to pinned values from references/versions.md if offline.
Network · Step 1: Resolve versions
Downloads and unzips a project from start.spring.io
Runs curl against start.spring.io/starter.zip with pinned parameters, then unzip. Maven is the default; Gradle uses a different type parameter.
Try: “Create a Spring Boot project called orders with web, validation and PostgreSQL.”
Runs code · Step 2: Generate the project
Configures logging, database, security and Docker
Follows the reference files for configuration, PostgreSQL with Compose and Testcontainers, logging, Spring Security basics and four Dockerfiles (JVM and native, Maven and Gradle).
Write · Step 3: Apply the defaults
Builds, runs and calls the health endpoint
Runs ./mvnw verify or ./gradlew build, starts the app and expects localhost:8080/actuator/health to return {"status":"UP"}.
Runs code · Step 4: Verify

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It runs downloaded build tooling
Step 2 downloads a project zip and Step 4 runs its wrapper (mvnw or gradlew). Run it in a fresh folder and look at the generated build file first. github.com
It uses the network and Docker
It calls start.spring.io, and references/versions.md also shows a request to repo1.maven.org. Docker is used for Testcontainers and Compose; the docker reference shows image builds. github.com
Existing projects are not upgraded
SKILL.md says it never upgrades versions implicitly and waits for your decision. github.com

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 2, 2026.

Technical details

Turning on read-only	No read-only mode. Use version control.
Talks to	start.spring.io. repo1.maven.org (version check in references/versions.md)
Sign-in and keys	No key or account. The skill says to keep secrets in environment variables and never commit .env.
Scopes	Runs curl and unzip against start.spring.io and writes a new project folder Runs the Maven or Gradle wrapper to build and start the app Can use Docker for Testcontainers and Compose

Questions

What does this skill do?

It makes Claude scaffold a new Spring Boot Java project from start.spring.io, with Maven or Gradle, and apply defaults for configuration, PostgreSQL, logging, security, testing and Docker.

How do I install it?

Use the install box at the top of this page. The Copilot CLI tab installs the whole java-development plugin; the other tabs install only this skill.

Will it change a Spring Boot project I already have?

SKILL.md says an existing pom.xml or build.gradle means an existing project: it is not regenerated, its versions are followed, and upgrades are proposed rather than applied.

What do I need installed?

A JDK that matches the Java version, curl and unzip, and Docker for Testcontainers and Compose. On the default path Maven or Gradle need not be installed because the generated wrapper is used. The Boot 3.5 fallback needs Maven or Gradle once, to create the wrapper.

Is it safe to run?

It downloads a project from start.spring.io, unzips it and runs the generated build wrapper, so use a new folder and read the build file before you run the app. SKILL.md describes creating the project folder and its files.

What is left out?

SKILL.md lists front-ends (Vue, React, Angular), cloud deployment to Azure, Git setup, CRaC and AOT images as out of scope for now.

How does it relate to java-springboot?

SKILL.md points to the separate java-springboot skill for best practices and to a spring-boot-testing skill for testing. Both are optional hand-offs; both live in the same repo.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: github/awesome-copilot
Folder: skills/create-spring-boot-java-project

github/awesome-copilot skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 7

create-spring-boot-java-project SKILL.md · github.com
versions.md · github.com
java-development plugin.json · github.com
awesome-copilot README · github.com
PROVENANCE.md · github.com
docker.md · github.com
database.md · github.com