Introduction:

Spring Security is a powerful and highly customizable authentication and access-control framework for Java applications. With the release of Spring Security 6.x, there are several ways to set up a project using Maven. In this article, we’ll explore the different approaches to configuring Spring Security 6.x in a Maven-based project.

1. Using Spring Initializr

One of the easiest ways to set up a Spring Security 6.x project is to use the Spring Initializr (https://start.spring.io/). Spring Initializr is a web-based tool that generates a complete Spring Boot project with the required dependencies and configuration files based on your selections.

To create a new Spring Security 6.x project with Spring Initializr, follow these steps:

1. Go to https://start.spring.io/
2. Select the desired project metadata (e.g., Group, Artifact, etc.)
3. Select the appropriate Spring Boot version (3.2.x or higher for Spring Security 6.x)
4. Under “Dependencies,” search for and select “Spring Security”
5. Click the “Generate” button to download the project archive
6. Select the right Java version and build tool (maven or gradle)

After extracting the downloaded archive, you’ll have a complete Spring Boot project with Spring Security 6.x configured and ready to use.

2. Manual Maven Configuration

If you prefer to manually configure your Maven project, you can follow these steps:

1. Create a new Maven project or use an existing one
2. Open the pom.xml file and add the following dependencies:

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-security</artifactId>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

The spring-boot-starter-security dependency includes Spring Security 6.x and its dependencies, while the spring-boot-starter-web dependency is required for building web applications.

3. Optionally, you can add additional Spring Security dependencies based on your requirements, such as:

<!-- For JDBC-based authentication -->
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-jdbc</artifactId>
</dependency>

<!-- For LDAP authentication -->
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.security</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-security-ldap</artifactId>
</dependency>

4. Create a SecurityConfig class to configure Spring Security (e.g., authorization rules, authentication providers, etc.).

import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
import org.springframework.security.config.annotation.web.builders.HttpSecurity;
import org.springframework.security.web.SecurityFilterChain;

@Configuration
public class SecurityConfig {

    @Bean
    public SecurityFilterChain filterChain(HttpSecurity http) throws Exception {
        http
            .authorizeHttpRequests()
            .requestMatchers("/public/**").permitAll()
            .anyRequest().authenticated()
            .and()
            .formLogin();
        return http.build();
    }
}

This configuration allows public access to the /public/** URL pattern and requires authentication for all other requests. It also enables form-based authentication.

3. Using Spring Security Starter Parent

Another way to set up a Spring Security 6.x project is to use the spring-boot-starter-parent in your Maven project. This approach ensures that you’re using the correct version of Spring Security that is compatible with your Spring Boot version.

1. Open the pom.xml file and add the spring-boot-starter-parent:

<parent>
    <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
    <version>3.2.x</version>
    <relativePath/> <!-- lookup parent from repository -->
</parent>

2. Add the spring-boot-starter-security dependency:

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-security</artifactId>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

3. Configure Spring Security as described in the previous section.

4. Using Spring Boot Starter BOM

If you’re not using the spring-boot-starter-parent, you can still manage the Spring Boot dependencies using the Spring Boot Starter Bill of Materials (BOM). This approach ensures that you’re using compatible versions of Spring Boot and its dependencies, including Spring Security.

1. Open the pom.xml file and add the Spring Boot BOM:

<dependencyManagement>
    <dependencies>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-boot-dependencies</artifactId>
            <version>3.2.x</version>
            <type>pom</type>
            <scope>import</scope>
        </dependency>
    </dependencies>
</dependencyManagement>

2. Add the spring-boot-starter-security dependency:

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-security</artifactId>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

3. Configure Spring Security as described in the previous sections.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored four different ways to set up a Spring Security 6.x project using Maven:

1. Using the Spring Initializr
2. Manual Maven configuration
3. Using the spring-boot-starter-parent
4. Using the Spring Boot Starter BOM

Each approach has its own advantages and trade-offs. The Spring Initializr is the quickest and most convenient way to get started, while the manual configuration gives you more control over the dependencies and versions. The spring-boot-starter-parent and Spring Boot Starter BOM approaches ensure that you’re using compatible versions of Spring Boot and its dependencies.

Regardless of the approach you choose, Spring Security 6.x provides a robust and flexible security framework for your Java applications, and Maven makes it easy to manage dependencies and set up your project.