Debugging your Java App

Rory Preddy demonstrates how to debug a Spring Boot Java application in Visual Studio Code by tracing a browser request through the service layer, pausing at breakpoints, inspecting variables, and using the Spring Boot Dashboard to review endpoints, health, and heap memory.

Overview

In this video, the presenter walks through a practical debugging workflow for a Spring Boot app in VS Code:

• Tracing a browser request through the application
• Pausing execution at a breakpoint
• Inspecting live variables while stopped
• Stepping through the service layer
• Using the Spring Boot Dashboard to inspect:
  • Endpoints
  • Application health
  • Heap memory

Sample repository

• https://github.com/microsoft/github-copilot-java-mcp-demo

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:29 Set a breakpoint
• 00:50 Debug the application
• 01:19 Trace and inspect the request
• 03:01 Inspect endpoints, health, and memory
• 04:00 Recap

Install before you start

• Microsoft Build of OpenJDK: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/java/openjdk/download
• Extension Pack for Java (VS Code): https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=vscjava.vscode-java-pack
• Spring Boot Extension Pack (VS Code): https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=vmware.vscode-boot-dev-pack