upgrade-spring-boot-3-5_skill

Overview

This skill automates upgrading Java services to Spring Boot 3.5.x including required dependency and tool updates. It prescribes target versions, Gradle and plugin changes, and validation steps to get projects running on Spring Boot 3.5.9+. Use it to standardize upgrades and reduce manual compatibility work.

How this skill works

The skill inspects project build files and version catalogs, recommends exact versions for Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, Gradle, testing and common libraries, and provides concrete Gradle edits and commands. It highlights critical rules like centralizing the Spring Boot version and lists required runtime/test dependencies and Gradle wrapper updates. It also guides Redis and test-platform changes and provides validation commands and troubleshooting references.

When to use it

• Project is on Spring Boot 3.4.x or earlier
• Preparing to stay on the latest 3.5.x line before Spring Boot 4
• You need features or fixes introduced in Spring Boot 3.5.x
• Preparing a Java 25 upgrade (Spring Boot 3.5.x required first)
• Requested upgrade to recommended or supported dependency versions

Best practices

• Centralize the Spring Boot version in a single location (version catalog or build file)
• Use the specified target versions: Spring Boot 3.5.9+, Spring Cloud 2025.0.0, Gradle 9.2.1
• Update the Gradle wrapper first, then apply dependency catalog changes and plugin versions
• Add JUnit Platform launcher for Gradle 9.x when using JUnit 5.x to avoid test runtime issues
• Run clean build without tests, then run tests and address failures iteratively

Example use cases

• Upgrade a microservice from Spring Boot 3.4.x to 3.5.9 while unifying versions across modules
• Prepare a codebase for a planned Java 25 migration by moving to Spring Boot 3.5.x first
• Bring monorepo projects into alignment by updating the shared libs.versions.toml catalog
• Fix test runtime errors after moving to Gradle 9.x by adding the JUnit platform launcher dependency
• Update Redis integrations to compatible client versions alongside the Spring Boot upgrade