Introduction

Spring Boot and Thymeleaf is a powerful combination for creating dynamic and data-driven web pages. This guide will provide an introduction to integrating Spring Boot with Thymeleaf, explain the basics of Thymeleaf, and offer sample code with explanations for its implementation.


Why Use Thymeleaf with Spring Boot?

Thymeleaf is a server-side Java template engine that offers several advantages when integrated with Spring Boot:

  • Server-Side Rendering: Thymeleaf enables server-side rendering of web pages, improving SEO and initial load times.
  • Dynamic Content: Thymeleaf allows dynamic content generation and easy integration with server-side data.
  • Easy Templating: Thymeleaf provides a simple and intuitive template syntax for creating web pages.

Getting Started with Spring Boot and Thymeleaf

To start creating dynamic web pages with Spring Boot and Thymeleaf, follow these steps:

  1. Create a Spring Boot project using the Spring Initializr or your preferred IDE.
  2. Add the Thymeleaf dependency to your project's pom.xml (Maven) or build.gradle (Gradle) file:
<!-- Maven -->
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-thymeleaf</artifactId>
</dependency>
        
// Gradle
dependencies {
    implementation 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-thymeleaf'
}
  1. Create a Thymeleaf template to define the structure and layout of your web page. Use Thymeleaf's syntax for dynamic data insertion:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html xmlns:th="http://www.thymeleaf.org">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <title>Dynamic Page</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1 th:text="${message}">Default Message</h1>
</body>
</html>
  1. Create a Spring Boot controller to handle requests and populate model data. Map the controller method to the Thymeleaf template:
import org.springframework.stereotype.Controller;
import org.springframework.ui.Model;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
@Controller
public class PageController {
    @GetMapping("/dynamic")
    public String dynamicPage(Model model) {
        model.addAttribute("message", "Hello, Thymeleaf!");
        return "dynamic-page";
    }
}
  1. Access the dynamic web page by navigating to the URL where the controller method is mapped, e.g., /dynamic.

Conclusion

Spring Boot and Thymeleaf is an excellent choice for creating dynamic and data-driven web pages. This guide introduced the integration, explained the benefits of Thymeleaf, and provided sample code for building a basic dynamic web page in a Spring Boot application. As you explore this combination further, you'll find it valuable for creating web pages with server-side rendering and dynamic content.