Spring MVC For Beginners – Build Java Web App in 25 Steps Course Syllabus

This course provides a hands-on introduction to Spring MVC, guiding beginners through the creation of a complete Java web application in 25 focused steps. Designed for developers with basic Java knowledge, it emphasizes practical implementation over theory, covering essential topics from environment setup to building RESTful APIs and securing applications. With approximately 6 hours of structured content, learners will follow a project-driven approach to master Spring MVC fundamentals, server-side rendering with Thymeleaf or JSP, form handling, validation, database integration, and basic security. Each module builds incrementally on the previous one, ensuring a solid foundation in Java web development using industry-standard practices.

Module 1: Introduction & Environment Setup

Estimated time: 0.5 hours

• Overview of Spring ecosystem and MVC design pattern
• Install JDK, Maven, and IDE setup (Eclipse/IntelliJ)
• Create a base Spring MVC project skeleton

Module 2: Configuring Spring MVC

Estimated time: 0.75 hours

• Define web.xml and DispatcherServlet configuration
• Set up applicationContext.xml for component scanning
• Configure view resolver for Thymeleaf or JSP

Module 3: Controllers, Models & Views

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Create @Controller classes and map URL endpoints
• Pass data to views using Model and ModelAndView
• Build view templates with Thymeleaf/JSP tags and layout dialect

Module 4: Form Handling & Validation

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Bind form inputs to Java POJOs with @ModelAttribute
• Use @Valid and JSR-303 annotations for server-side validation
• Display validation errors in views and handle binding results

Module 5: Persistence with Spring JDBC & JPA

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Configure JdbcTemplate and data sources for plain JDBC
• Set up Spring Data JPA repositories and Hibernate integration
• Perform CRUD operations and transaction management

Module 6: Building RESTful APIs

Estimated time: 0.75 hours

• Annotate controllers with @RestController and map JSON endpoints
• Use @RequestBody and @ResponseBody for payload serialization
• Handle exceptions and return appropriate HTTP status codes

Module 7: Spring Security Basics

Estimated time: 0.75 hours

• Integrate Spring Security dependencies and configuration
• Define in-memory or JDBC-backed user details
• Secure URLs and methods with role-based access control

Module 8: Project Walkthrough & Best Practices

Estimated time: 1 hour

• Combine all components into a cohesive sample application
• Discuss layered architecture, package organization, and naming conventions
• Review performance tuning tips and common pitfalls

Prerequisites

• Basic knowledge of Java programming
• Familiarity with HTML and web fundamentals
• Understanding of relational databases and SQL

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Grasp the fundamentals of the Spring Framework and MVC architecture
• Set up a Spring MVC project with Maven and configure web.xml and application context
• Develop controllers, views, and models to handle HTTP requests and responses
• Integrate Thymeleaf (or JSP) templates for dynamic server-side rendering
• Implement form handling, data binding, validation, and basic security in Java web apps