Are you ready to dive into the world of microservices using Java Spring Boot and Kubernetes? This article will guide you step-by-step through the process of building and deploying a Java Spring Boot application on a Kubernetes cluster. Our fictitious application, inspired by the film Office Space, can simulate financial transactions and notify users when their account balance reaches a significant amount. Let’s get started!

Prerequisites

• Access to a Kubernetes cluster (either locally with Minikube, IBM Cloud Private, or IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service).
• Slack Incoming Webhook set up in your Slack team (if you want notifications).
• IBM Cloud Function CLI installed.

Steps to Build and Deploy

1. Clone the Repository

Firstly, let’s clone the repository containing the application code. Open your terminal and execute the following command:

$ git clone https://github.com/IBM/spring-boot-microservices-on-kubernetes

2. Create the Database Service

We’ll set up a MySQL database as the backend for our application. You can either run MySQL in a container or use IBM Cloud Compose for MySQL.

To create the database service, run the following command:

$ kubectl create -f account-database.yaml

3. Create the Spring Boot Microservices

Next, you need to build your Spring Boot microservices using Maven. Ensure Maven is installed and then navigate to the microservices directories:

$ mvn package

After building, create Docker images for the microservices. Replace `YOUR_NAMESPACE` with your actual namespace.

$ docker build -t registry.ng.bluemix.net/YOUR_NAMESPACE/compute-interest-api .

4. Deploy the Microservices

Using the YAML configurations, deploy the services representing the Compute Interest and the Notification services:

$ kubectl apply -f compute-interest-api.yaml

$ kubectl apply -f send-notification.yaml

5. Access Your Application

The last step is to expose your application and access it through the browser. Find the IP and NodePort of your services using the commands below:

$ ibmcloud cs workers cluster-name

Then navigate to:

http://your-cluster-IP:30080

Understanding the Code: An Analogy

Imagine building a restaurant. The Spring Boot microservices are the chefs, each specializing in a different dish—one for computing interest and another for sending notifications. The kitchen, akin to Kubernetes, organizes and manages these chefs, ensuring they have the right ingredients and the space to cook. Finally, the database is like a pantry storing the ingredients (account balances), while the Node.js application serves as the restaurant front where customers can see the menu (account balance) and order (retrieve their balance).

Troubleshooting

• If you encounter issues, delete all resources using the command: kubectl delete svc,deploy -l app=office-space.
• Ensure your Kubernetes cluster is up and running.
• Double-check your Docker image names and repository access.

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In Conclusion

Following these steps allows you to build and deploy a functional Spring Boot application on Kubernetes. At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.