Fullstack Java: Building an Online Store with Spring Boot and Thymeleaf

Creating a functional online store is one of the most rewarding fullstack Java projects. With tools like Spring Boot for the backend and Thymeleaf for the frontend, developers can build powerful, responsive, and maintainable web applications. This blog walks through the process of building a basic online store using these technologies, showcasing how fullstack development in Java can bring business ideas to life.


Why Use Spring Boot and Thymeleaf?

Spring Boot simplifies backend development by handling configuration and providing out-of-the-box features like embedded servers, REST APIs, and data access layers. Thymeleaf, on the other hand, is a modern server-side Java template engine that integrates smoothly with Spring Boot, allowing developers to write clean, dynamic HTML directly within Java-based applications.

This stack is perfect for fullstack projects that require tight integration between backend logic and frontend views, especially when building form-heavy, data-driven applications like an e-commerce store.


Key Features of the Online Store

A simple online store includes the following core features:

Product listing and details

Shopping cart

User registration and login

Order placement

Admin panel for product management

Let’s explore how each part comes together using Spring Boot and Thymeleaf.


Backend: Spring Boot

1. Model and Database Integration

Start by defining JPA entities like Product, User, and Order. Use Spring Data JPA to interact with a relational database such as MySQL or H2.

java


@Entity

public class Product {

   @Id @GeneratedValue

   private Long id;

   private String name;

   private Double price;

   private String description;

   // getters and setters

}

Spring Boot auto-configures data sources and supports repository interfaces like:


java


public interface ProductRepository extends JpaRepository<Product, Long> {}


2. Service Layer and Business Logic

Service classes handle business logic such as adding products to the cart, calculating totals, and managing inventory.

java


@Service

public class CartService {

    public void addProduct(Product product) { /* logic */ }

}


3. Controllers and REST Endpoints

Use @Controller and @RequestMapping annotations to handle HTTP requests and serve HTML pages or JSON data.


Frontend: Thymeleaf Templates

Thymeleaf templates are placed in the src/main/resources/templates directory. These HTML pages use Thymeleaf syntax to dynamically render content from the backend.


html


<table>

  <tr th:each="product : ${products}">

    <td th:text="${product.name}"></td>

    <td th:text="${product.price}"></td>

    <td><a th:href="@{/cart/add/{id}(id=${product.id})}">Add to Cart</a></td>

  </tr>

</table>

Thymeleaf makes it easy to bind form data, manage sessions, and navigate between views using dynamic links.


Security and User Management

Use Spring Security to handle user authentication and authorization. Define login forms, role-based access (e.g., admin vs. user), and secure endpoints. Passwords can be hashed using BCryptPasswordEncoder.


Conclusion

Building an online store using Spring Boot and Thymeleaf is a solid way to understand fullstack Java development. This combination allows developers to create robust, scalable web applications with clean separation between logic and presentation. As your store grows, you can expand features with microservices, RESTful APIs, payment integrations, and cloud deployments—making it a great foundation for any real-world Java project.


Learn  Full Stack Java Training

Read more : Building Fullstack Java Applications: Best Practices for Database Design

Read more : Fullstack Java: Working with GraphQL and Spring Boot

Read more : Building Fullstack Java Applications with Kubernetes and Docker

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