Last checked and updated on April 16, 2026What Is New in Spring Boot 1.3
Spring Boot 1.3 delivers a significant upgrade with new integrations, developer tool enhancements, and production-ready features. This release focuses on improving the developer experience and expanding support for modern application development.
| Category | Key Changes |
|---|---|
| New Features | Cache auto-configuration, Apache Kafka support, DevTools, Git commit info |
| Improvements | Spring 4.2 upgrade, Testing enhancements, Logging adjustments |
| Deprecations | CRaSH shell, spring-boot-legacy |
| Developer Tools | Live reload, automatic restart, property defaults |
How did developer tools get better?
The new spring-boot-devtools module drastically speeds up the development feedback loop. It provides automatic application restarts whenever files on the classpath change, eliminating the need for manual restarts during coding sessions.
In practice, this means you can edit a template or a Java class and see changes reflected almost instantly. The module also switches off caching options like Thymeleaf cache by default in development, which is exactly what you want when iterating quickly.
What new integrations were added?
Spring Boot 1.3 brings first-class support for Apache Kafka. Auto-configuration now sets up KafkaTemplate and KafkaListenerContainerFactory beans if the Kafka library is on your classpath.
Cache abstraction auto-configuration is another major addition. It can automatically configure a provider like EhCache, Hazelcast, or Redis based on what's available, making it trivial to add caching to your application without boilerplate configuration.
How was the testing experience enhanced?
Testing got a serious upgrade with the @TestConfiguration annotation. This allows you to define additional beans specifically for a test, separate from your main application configuration.
The @SpringApplicationConfiguration annotation was also improved to use the actual SpringApplication from your application, ensuring that your test context is created in the same way as your production context. This matters because it eliminates subtle differences between test and runtime behavior.
What build and info endpoints improved?
The Actuator's /info endpoint now automatically includes Git commit information if you use the Maven or Gradle plugin. This is powered by the git-commit-id plugin, which generates a git.properties file during the build.
You can also customize the info endpoint by setting info.* properties in your application.properties. For example, adding info.app.description=My cool app will appear in the endpoint's output.
FAQ
How do I enable the new DevTools in my project?
Add the spring-boot-devtools dependency with provided scope. Maven users add this to pom.xml:
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-boot-devtools</artifactId>
<optional>true</optional>
</dependency>Why was the CRaSH shell removed and what's the alternative?
The CRaSH shell was deprecated because its maintenance had stalled. For an interactive shell, you can use the native shell support that comes with your JVM or explore other modern alternatives.
How does the new cache auto-configuration work?
Spring Boot automatically detects cache libraries on your classpath (e.g., EhCache, Hazelcast, Redis) and sets up the appropriate CacheManager. You just need to add the library and the @EnableCaching annotation to your configuration.
What's the simplest way to get Git info in the /info endpoint?
Use the Spring Boot Maven or Gradle plugin. It automatically generates the necessary git.properties file. For Maven, ensure the plugin is in your pom.xml and the project is a Git repository.
Does the upgrade to Spring Framework 4.2 break anything?
It's mostly backward compatible, but some deprecated APIs from Spring 4.1 were removed. You should check the Spring Framework 4.2 release notes for specific changes if you're upgrading from an older version of Boot.