Talk Overview
Starting with Spring Boot testing can feel like navigating a maze blindfolded. With so many annotations, testing approaches, and conflicting advice online, it’s easy to make decisions that will haunt you later.
This talk is the guide I wish I had when I started testing Spring Boot applications. Instead of overwhelming you with every possible testing technique, it focuses on the practical wisdom that comes from years of making mistakes, learning from them, and discovering what actually works in real projects.
What You’ll Learn
This presentation distills years of Spring Boot testing experience into actionable insights:
Avoiding Common Pitfalls:
- The testing mistakes that every Spring Boot developer makes (and how to avoid them)
- Why your tests are slow and what you can do about it
- When Spring Boot’s “magic” helps and when it hurts your tests
- The annotation combinations that seem helpful but create problems
Building Effective Testing Strategies:
- How to choose between unit, integration, and end-to-end tests
- When to use
@SpringBootTestvs. test slices (and why it matters) - Building a testing pyramid that actually works for Spring Boot
- Test data strategies that don’t become maintenance nightmares
Practical Testing Wisdom:
- Tools and libraries that are worth learning vs. ones to skip
- How to write tests that survive refactoring
- Testing patterns that make your code more maintainable
- Building testing habits that stick with your team
Real-World Lessons:
- Stories from the trenches: testing disasters and how to prevent them
- What works in theory vs. what works in production codebases
- How to incrementally improve existing test suites
- Getting team buy-in for better testing practices
Target Audience
This talk is perfect for developers who are relatively new to Spring Boot testing or who have been struggling with their current testing approach. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by Spring Boot’s testing options, frustrated by slow test suites, or unsure whether you’re testing the “right” things, this session is for you.
It’s also valuable for teams that want to establish consistent testing practices and avoid the common traps that lead to brittle, unmaintainable test suites.
Talk Format
This is a story-driven presentation that combines practical advice with real examples of what works and what doesn’t. Rather than a dry technical deep-dive, it’s an honest conversation about the realities of testing Spring Boot applications.
The session includes plenty of time for questions and can be adapted for different experience levels and time constraints (30-60 minutes).
Delivery History
This talk resonates particularly well with developers who are in the early stages of their Spring Boot testing journey. It consistently receives positive feedback for its honest, practical approach and for helping attendees avoid common frustrations.
The content is regularly updated based on new lessons learned and feedback from the community, ensuring it stays relevant and helpful for each new audience.