LinkedIn Post - Java 17 & Spring Boot 3.3.5 Migration
LinkedIn Post - Java 17 & Spring Boot 3.3.5 Migration
🚀 Just completed a major migration: Java 8 → Java 17 and Spring Boot 1.4.3 → 3.3.5
My Spring Boot example repository (36⭐, 89🍴) was stuck on 2014-2016 tech. Time to modernize!
The strategy that made it work:
Before touching a single line of migration code, I:
- Used plan mode in Claude Code to map out the entire migration
- Maximized test coverage to the highest level possible
- Created a comprehensive safety net
This preparation paid off BIG TIME when I hit Claude Pro’s rate limits halfway through and seamlessly switched to Cursor with Composer model - the plan and tests made the transition smooth.
What changed: ✅ Java 8 (2014) → Java 17 ✅ Spring Boot 1.4.3 → 3.3.5 (2 major versions!) ✅ JUnit 4 → JUnit 5 (all tests migrated) ✅ Springfox → SpringDoc OpenAPI ✅ Added JaCoCo code coverage ✅ Updated CI/CD with badges
The real challenges:
- Breaking changes in Spring Security 6
- Complete Swagger framework migration
- Dependency compatibility nightmares
- Hitting AI tool rate limits mid-migration
The result:
After running ./mvnw spring-boot:run and seeing the server start successfully, I knew the migration was complete. The repository now has build status and coverage badges, making it easier for the 89 developers who forked it to see the project’s health at a glance.
Key takeaway: Planning + comprehensive tests = ability to switch tools seamlessly and complete complex migrations successfully.
I’ve documented the entire journey with code examples, step-by-step process, challenges, and lessons learned. If you’re planning a similar migration or curious about how AI tools can accelerate complex refactoring work, check it out:
🔗 Full article: https://alexmanrique.com/blog/migrating-to-java17-and-spring-boot-335-using-claude-code-and-cursor/
Have you done similar migrations? What was your biggest challenge? Share your experience below! 👇
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