How to Configure JavaFX with Spring Boot for Multiple Windows

Learn how to integrate JavaFX with Spring Boot and correctly manage multiple windows while ensuring Spring's dependency injection works seamlessly.
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: how to configure javafx with springboot with more than 1 window?

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Configure JavaFX with Spring Boot for Multiple Windows

Integrating JavaFX with Spring Boot can be a bit tricky, especially when you want to handle multiple windows. You may run into issues, such as services being null due to Spring not managing the controller instances properly. This guide will guide you on how to properly configure your JavaFX application with Spring Boot so that you can manage multiple windows without running into dependency injection problems.

The Problem

Example Scenario

Consider a simple JavaFX app:

You have a main application class defined with Spring Boot integration.

Here's a snippet of your main application code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The Solution

To resolve the issue of null services in your controllers, you need to set a controller factory for your FXMLLoader whenever you load an FXML file. This way, Spring can manage the controller instances and handle dependency injection correctly.

Step 1: Update Your Main Application

You should modify the start and init methods of your main application class as follows:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Modify Your Controllers

Change the @ Controller annotation to @ Component for your controllers to reflect that they will be used in the JavaFX context and ensure the use of prototype scope for reusability.

SampleController Example

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

DishBuilderController Example

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Key Takeaways

Set the Controller Factory: Always set the FXMLLoader's controller factory to springContext::getBean when loading new FXML files to ensure controllers are Spring-managed.

Use @ Component instead of @ Controller: Use @ Component for JavaFX controllers and configure them as prototypes when necessary.

Avoid Static Fields: There’s generally no need to expose the ApplicationContext as a static field, as you can inject it where needed.

Conclusion

By following these adjustments, you can effectively manage multiple windows in your JavaFX application using Spring Boot, ensuring that all services are injected correctly and functional. This allows for a more modular and maintainable application structure.

For further learning, explore the integration specifics of Spring with JavaFX and keep experimenting with your unique application features!