Top 10 Spring Boot Open-source Projects in 2025 to learn best-practices.

Spring Boot has become the go-to framework for Java developers building everything from simple web apps to complex microservices architectures. But how do you go beyond the basics and truly master Spring Boot? One of the best ways is by diving into the world of open source. By exploring and even contributing to real-world projects, you gain invaluable insights into best practices, design patterns, and the nuances of building production-ready applications.

This blog highlights ten fantastic Spring Boot open-source projects on GitHub that you should definitely check out in 2025. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting your Spring Boot journey, there's something here for everyone.

What Makes a Good Learning Project?#

Before we dive in, let's talk about what we looked for in these projects:

• Active Community & Maintenance: We wanted projects that are actively maintained and have a healthy community, ensuring you'll find support and up-to-date code.
• Clean Code & Documentation: Well-structured code and clear documentation are crucial for learning. You shouldn't have to spend hours deciphering cryptic code.
• Real-World Use Cases: We prioritized projects that tackle common development challenges, giving you practical experience.
• Variety: We aimed for a mix of project types, showcasing different aspects of Spring Boot.

Let's Get Started: Top 10 Spring Boot Open-Source Projects#

1. Piggymetrics#

Github Repo (13k+ stars)

This project is a microservice-based personal finance manager. It's a great example of how to build a distributed system using Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, and other related technologies. You'll get to see how things like service discovery, circuit breakers, and distributed tracing work in practice. It also uses Spring Data JPA for persistence and Spring Security for securing the application. If you're interested in microservices, this is a must-see.

2. Spring Boot Admin#

Github Repo (12.4k+ stars)

Ever wondered how to monitor and manage your Spring Boot applications in production? Spring Boot Admin provides a sleek UI for exactly that. It gives you insights into application health, metrics, logs, and more. It integrates seamlessly with Spring Cloud Netflix components like Eureka and Hystrix, making it a valuable tool for anyone working with microservices. This project is a fantastic resource for learning about the operational aspects of Spring Boot.

3. Spring Pet clinic#

Github Repo (7.9k+ stars)

This is the classic Spring example application. While it might seem simple at first glance, Petclinic is packed with valuable lessons. It demonstrates core Spring Boot concepts like dependency injection, auto-configuration, and data access using JPA. It's a perfect starting point for beginners and a useful reference for experienced developers.

4. Metasfresh#

Github Repo (1.8k+ stars)

If you're looking for a more challenging project, Metasfresh is worth exploring. It's an open-source ERP system built with Spring Boot. This project dives deep into complex business logic, domain-driven design, and advanced data modeling. It's a great way to see how Spring Boot can be used to build large-scale enterprise applications.

5. Spring Security, React, Ant Design Polls App#

Github Repo (1.8k+ stars)

This project offers a practical example of building a full-stack web application with Spring Boot on the backend and React with Ant Design on the front end. It focuses on secure authentication and authorization using Spring Security and demonstrates how to build RESTful APIs for communication between the front end and back end. It's a great learning resource for full-stack developers.

More Projects to Explore:#

While the top five offer a great starting point, there are other noteworthy projects you can explore:

6. E-commerce Project with Spring Boot#

Github Repo (625+ stars)

A good starting point for learning e-commerce development with Spring Boot.

7. Springy Store Microservices#

Github Repo (573+ stars)

Another microservices-based e-commerce project.

8. BookStoreApp: Distributed Application#

Github Repo (339+ stars)

A smaller spring boot project focused on a bookstore application.

9. Internet Banking Concept - Microservices#

Github Repo (306+ stars)

A conceptual project exploring microservices in the context of Internet banking.

10. Voting App#

Github Repo (34+ stars)

A simple voting application showcasing basic Spring Boot features.

Why Learn from Open Source?#

Learning from open source offers several advantages:

• See How the Pros Do It: Learn from experienced developers and see how they structure their projects.
• Practical Experience: Gain hands-on experience by exploring real-world use cases.
• Stay Up-to-Date: Keep up with the latest trends and best practices in the Spring Boot ecosystem.

Get Involved!#

Don't just passively browse the code. Try contributing to these projects! Even small contributions like fixing typos or improving documentation can be a valuable learning experience.