{"id":293,"date":"2025-05-06T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/?p=293"},"modified":"2025-04-16T16:29:34","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T16:29:34","slug":"how-to-use-propertysource-in-your-spring-application","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/?p=293","title":{"rendered":"How to Use @PropertySource in Your Spring Application"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the @PropertySource<\/code> annotation?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The @PropertySource<\/code> annotation is used to tell Spring to load a specific properties file from a location provided in the annotation. It is used in conjunction with @Configuration<\/code> at the class level. It allows you, as a developer, to externalize the configuration of your application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why use @PropertySource<\/code>?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. It allows you to load properties files from any location.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. In Java 8+, you can repeat this annotation many times, allowing you to load multiple configuration files.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. It supports the usage of placeholders using Spring Expression Language syntax.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. You can handle missing files by ignoring them if they are not found.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Property override: if you have many properties with the same name, the last definition will override the first one.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    How to use @PropertySource<\/code><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The first example is the default way, by configuring with @Configuration<\/code> and pointing to a path:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    @<\/span>Configuration<\/span><\/span>\n@<\/span>PropertySource<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>classpath:application.properties<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\npublic<\/span> <\/span>class<\/span> <\/span>AppConfig<\/span> {<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>static<\/span> <\/span>final<\/span> <\/span>Logger<\/span> logger <\/span>=<\/span> <\/span>getLogger<\/span>(AppConfig.class);<\/span><\/span>\n    @<\/span>Value<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>${property.name}<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>String<\/span> propertyName;<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    @<\/span>PostConstruct<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>public<\/span> <\/span>void<\/span> <\/span>init<\/span>() {<\/span><\/span>\n        logger.<\/span>info<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>Property loaded: property.name={}<\/span>"<\/span>, propertyName);<\/span><\/span>\n    }<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>\/\/ getters and setters<\/span><\/span>\n}<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    Here\u2019s the configuration file:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    property.name<\/span>=<\/span>property value<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    If you run the example above the init()<\/code> will show the value of the property in the console:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    INFO <\/span>17840<\/span> <\/span>---<\/span> [           main] org.spring.mastery.config.AppConfig      <\/span>:<\/span> <\/span>Property<\/span> loaded<\/span>:<\/span> property.name<\/span>=<\/span>property value<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    You can define as many @PropertySource<\/code> annotations as you want:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    @<\/span>Configuration<\/span><\/span>\n@<\/span>PropertySource<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>classpath:application.properties<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\n@<\/span>PropertySource<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>classpath:another.properties<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\npublic<\/span> <\/span>class<\/span> <\/span>AppConfig<\/span> {<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>static<\/span> <\/span>final<\/span> <\/span>Logger<\/span> logger <\/span>=<\/span> <\/span>getLogger<\/span>(AppConfig.class);<\/span><\/span>\n    @<\/span>Value<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>${property.name}<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>String<\/span> propertyName;<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    @<\/span>Value<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>${another.property}<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>String<\/span> anotherProperty;<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    @<\/span>PostConstruct<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>public<\/span> <\/span>void<\/span> <\/span>init<\/span>() {<\/span><\/span>\n        logger.<\/span>info<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>Property loaded: property.name={}<\/span>"<\/span>, propertyName);<\/span><\/span>\n        logger.<\/span>info<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>Property loaded: property.name={}<\/span>"<\/span>, anotherProperty);<\/span><\/span>\n    }<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>\/\/ getters and setters<\/span><\/span>\n}<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    The console will have these lines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    INFO <\/span>28208<\/span> <\/span>---<\/span> [           main] org.spring.mastery.config.AppConfig      <\/span>:<\/span> <\/span>Property<\/span> loaded<\/span>:<\/span> property.name<\/span>=<\/span>property value<\/span><\/span>\nINFO <\/span>28208<\/span> <\/span>---<\/span> [           main] org.spring.mastery.config.AppConfig      <\/span>:<\/span> <\/span>Property<\/span> loaded<\/span>:<\/span> property.name<\/span>=<\/span>another valu<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    You can use @PropertySources<\/code> to group them if you want:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    @<\/span>Configuration<\/span><\/span>\n@<\/span>PropertySources<\/span>({<\/span><\/span>\n    @<\/span>PropertySource<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>classpath:application.properties<\/span>"<\/span>),<\/span><\/span>\n    @<\/span>PropertySource<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>classpath:another.properties<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\n})<\/span><\/span>\npublic<\/span> <\/span>class<\/span> <\/span>AppConfig<\/span> {<\/span><\/span>\n    @<\/span>Value<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>${property.name}<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>String<\/span> propertyName;<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    @<\/span>Value<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>${another.property}<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>String<\/span> anotherProperty;<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    <\/span>\/\/ getters and setters<\/span><\/span>\n}<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    It\u2019ll work like the previous example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    INFO <\/span>28316<\/span> <\/span>---<\/span> [           main] org.spring.mastery.config.AppConfig      <\/span>:<\/span> <\/span>Property<\/span> loaded<\/span>:<\/span> property.name<\/span>=<\/span>property value<\/span><\/span>\nINFO <\/span>28316<\/span> <\/span>---<\/span> [           main] org.spring.mastery.config.AppConfig      <\/span>:<\/span> <\/span>Property<\/span> loaded<\/span>:<\/span> property.name<\/span>=<\/span>another value<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    You can use a placeholder using Spring Expression Language to make things more flexible by using one property to define a path location to another property file. You can use this in scenarios where you can add a .properties<\/code> file that will be placed outside your project (in this example is still in the class path, but you can put it where you want in the file system. This is useful in production systems where you want to hide the properties that will be used in the production server from the source code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    @<\/span>Configuration<\/span><\/span>\n@<\/span>PropertySource<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>classpath:${config.location}\/external.properties<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\npublic<\/span> <\/span>class<\/span> <\/span>AppConfig<\/span> {<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>static<\/span> <\/span>final<\/span> <\/span>Logger<\/span> logger <\/span>=<\/span> <\/span>getLogger<\/span>(AppConfig.class);<\/span><\/span>\n    @<\/span>Value<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>${external.property.name}<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>String<\/span> propertyName;<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    @<\/span>PostConstruct<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>public<\/span> <\/span>void<\/span> <\/span>init<\/span>() {<\/span><\/span>\n        logger.<\/span>info<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>Property loaded: property.name={}<\/span>"<\/span>, propertyName);<\/span><\/span>\n    }<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>\/\/ getters and setters<\/span><\/span>\n}<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    The application.properties<\/code><\/a> will look like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    property.name<\/span>=<\/span>property value<\/span><\/span>\nconfig.location<\/span>=<\/span>external<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    external.property.name<\/span>=<\/span>external value<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    PS: The external<\/code> name is optional; you can add the name you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    You can also ignore the property loading if the file is not found:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    @<\/span>Configuration<\/span><\/span>\n@<\/span>PropertySource<\/span>(<\/span>value<\/span> <\/span>=<\/span> <\/span>"<\/span>classpath:optional.properties<\/span>"<\/span>, <\/span>ignoreResourceNotFound<\/span> <\/span>=<\/span> <\/span>true<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\npublic<\/span> <\/span>class<\/span> <\/span>AppConfig<\/span> {<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>static<\/span> <\/span>final<\/span> <\/span>Logger<\/span> logger <\/span>=<\/span> <\/span>getLogger<\/span>(AppConfig.class);<\/span><\/span>\n    @<\/span>Value<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>${optional.property:default}<\/span>"<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>private<\/span> <\/span>String<\/span> optionalProperty;<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n    @<\/span>PostConstruct<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>public<\/span> <\/span>void<\/span> <\/span>init<\/span>() {<\/span><\/span>\n        logger.<\/span>info<\/span>(<\/span>"<\/span>Property loaded: property.name={}<\/span>"<\/span>, optionalProperty);<\/span><\/span>\n    }<\/span><\/span>\n    <\/span>\/\/ getters and setters<\/span><\/span>\n}<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    INFO <\/span>8912<\/span> <\/span>---<\/span> [           main] org.spring.mastery.config.AppConfig      <\/span>:<\/span> <\/span>Property<\/span> loaded<\/span>:<\/span> property.name<\/span>=default<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    If it exists, it will show the property value defined on the existing optional.properites<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/circle><\/circle><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/path><\/path><\/svg><\/span>
    INFO <\/span>29992<\/span> <\/span>---<\/span> [           main] org.spring.mastery.config.AppConfig      <\/span>:<\/span> <\/span>Property<\/span> loaded<\/span>:<\/span> property.name<\/span>=<\/span>optional value<\/span><\/span>\n<\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
    In this post, we learned different ways to use the @PropertySource<\/code> in your project. Have you seen another way to use it? Did this annotation help you solve a problem in your project?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    If you like this topic, make sure to follow me. In the following days, I\u2019ll be explaining more about Spring annotations! Stay tuned!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    Willian Ferreira Moya | LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
    What is the @PropertySource annotation? The @PropertySource annotation is used to tell Spring to load a specific properties file from a location provided in the annotation. It is used in conjunction with @Configuration at the class level. It allows you, as a developer, to externalize the configuration of your application. Why use @PropertySource? How to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,6],"tags":[13,18,22,23,24],"class_list":["post-293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-java","category-spring","tag-java","tag-programming","tag-spring-boot","tag-spring-framework","tag-springboot"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=293"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":294,"href":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293\/revisions\/294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/springmasteryhub.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
    Willian Moya (@WillianFMoya) \/ X (twitter.com)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
    If the optional.properties<\/code><\/a> does not exist, the default value will be set:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    And the external.properties<\/code><\/a> will look like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n