Essential Spring Boot configuration tips and productivity hacks for freelance developers juggling multiple client projects.
As a freelance developer, managing several Spring Boot projects at once can quickly become overwhelming. Here are some battle-tested tips to streamline your workflow and boost your efficiency:
✅ Use Profiles Wisely
Set up application-{profile}.yml files for each environment (dev, staging, prod). Keep secrets out of version control and use tools like direnv or Docker secrets for local overrides.
✅ Centralize Common Config
Create a personal base starter module with your preferred config defaults, custom starters, and logging settings. This helps you avoid repeating yourself across projects.
✅ Isolate Dependencies per Client
Use multi-module Maven or Gradle projects when necessary. Avoid version conflicts by clearly separating each client's dependencies and using tools like dependencyManagement.
✅ Automate Your Setup
Create project skeletons using Spring Initializr + your own custom scripts/templates to bootstrap projects with consistent structure and tooling.
✅ Log Smarter
Customize your logging format (e.g., JSON logs for cloud apps, color logs for local dev) and use log levels per package. Externalize logging configuration to adapt quickly across environments.
✅ Health & Metrics
Enable Spring Boot Actuator to monitor endpoints, DB connections, and memory. Tie it into tools like Prometheus + Grafana if clients need observability.
✅ Document Everything
Auto-generate API docs with Swagger/OpenAPI and include a README with setup/run instructions and environment variables. Your future self (and your clients) will thank you.
✅ Use DevTools, but Cautiously
Spring Boot DevTools can speed up development, but don't include it in your production build. Use conditional dependencies or profile-specific inclusion.
✅ Stay DRY with Common Practices
Define reusable configurations, DTOs, mappers (e.g., with MapStruct), and error handlers. Abstract what you repeat often across projects.
🎯 Boost Your Freelance Productivity
Whether you're managing 2 or 10 clients, these practices will help you stay productive, reduce context switching, and deliver clean, maintainable code every time.