Transaction management with @Transactional in Spring Boot - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to enable transaction management on the service method.

Spring Boot

@Service
public class UserService {
    @[1]
    public void createUser(User user) {
        // method implementation
    }
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AService

BAutowired

CComponent

DTransactional

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using @Autowired instead of @Transactional

Forgetting to add @Transactional on methods that modify data

The @Transactional annotation marks the method to run within a transaction.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to specify that the transaction should roll back on any exception.

Spring Boot

@Transactional(rollbackFor = [1].class)
public void updateUser(User user) {
    // update logic
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ARuntimeException

BThrowable

CException

DError

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using RuntimeException only rolls back unchecked exceptions

Using Error is not recommended for rollback

Using rollbackFor = Exception.class ensures rollback on checked and unchecked exceptions.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the annotation to make the transaction read-only.

Spring Boot

@Transactional(readOnly = [1])
public List<User> getUsers() {
    // fetch users
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Atrue

BTrue

C"true"

DTRUE

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using quotes around true makes it a string, causing errors

Using uppercase True or TRUE is invalid in Java

The readOnly attribute expects a boolean value true or false, not a string.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to configure a transaction with propagation REQUIRED and isolation level SERIALIZABLE.

Spring Boot

@Transactional(propagation = Propagation.[1], isolation = Isolation.[2])
public void processOrder(Order order) {
    // processing logic
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AREQUIRED

BREQUIRES_NEW

CSERIALIZABLE

DREAD_COMMITTED

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Confusing propagation types

Using lower isolation levels when strict consistency is needed

Propagation.REQUIRED means join existing or create new transaction.
Isolation.SERIALIZABLE is the strictest isolation level.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a transaction that is read-only, with timeout 30 seconds, and rollback on IllegalArgumentException.

Spring Boot

@Transactional(readOnly = [1], timeout = [2], rollbackFor = [3].class)
public void validateData(Data data) {
    // validation logic
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Afalse

B30

CIllegalArgumentException

Dtrue

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Setting readOnly to false when method only reads data

Forgetting to specify rollbackFor for checked exceptions

Setting readOnly=true optimizes for read operations.
Timeout limits transaction duration.
Rollback on IllegalArgumentException handles specific errors.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of using @Transactional in a Spring Boot application?

easy

A. To ensure multiple database operations are executed as a single unit and rollback on failure

B. To speed up database queries by caching results

C. To automatically generate database schema from entities

D. To log all database queries for debugging

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of @Transactional

   @Transactional groups multiple database operations so they succeed or fail together.

2. Step 2: Identify the effect on data consistency

   If any operation fails, all changes are rolled back to keep data correct.

3. Final Answer:

   To ensure multiple database operations are executed as a single unit and rollback on failure -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   @Transactional = atomic database actions [OK]

Hint: Think: all-or-nothing for database changes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing @Transactional with caching or logging
• Thinking it speeds up queries
• Assuming it auto-generates schema

2. Which of the following is the correct way to apply @Transactional to a method in a Spring Boot service class?

easy

A. @Transactional public void updateData() { ... }

B. public @Transactional void updateData() { ... }

C. public void updateData() @Transactional { ... }

D. public void updateData() { @Transactional ... }

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall correct annotation placement

   Annotations like @Transactional go before the method signature.

2. Step 2: Check each option's syntax

   @Transactional public void updateData() { ... } places @Transactional correctly before the method declaration.

3. Final Answer:

   @Transactional public void updateData() { ... } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Annotation before method = correct syntax [OK]

Hint: Annotations always go before method signature [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing annotation inside method body
• Putting annotation after method signature
• Using annotation as a modifier keyword

3. Consider this Spring Boot service method annotated with @Transactional:

@Transactional
public void saveUserAndAccount(User user, Account account) {
    userRepository.save(user);
    accountRepository.save(account);
    if(account.getBalance() < 0) {
        throw new RuntimeException("Negative balance not allowed");
    }
}

What happens if account.getBalance() < 0 is true during execution?

medium

A. An error is logged but changes are committed

B. Only the user is saved, account save is rolled back

C. Both user and account are saved to the database

D. Neither user nor account is saved; transaction rolls back

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand rollback behavior of @Transactional

   By default, RuntimeExceptions cause the transaction to rollback all changes.

2. Step 2: Analyze the exception thrown

   The method throws RuntimeException if balance is negative, triggering rollback.

3. Final Answer:

   Neither user nor account is saved; transaction rolls back -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   RuntimeException triggers rollback = no data saved [OK]

Hint: Exception inside @Transactional rolls back all changes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming partial saves happen
• Thinking only last save rolls back
• Ignoring exception effect on transaction

4. Given this method in a Spring Boot service:

@Transactional
public void updateRecords() {
    recordRepository.updateA();
    recordRepository.updateB();
    // Missing exception handling
}

If updateB() throws a checked exception (not RuntimeException), what will happen to the transaction?

medium

A. Transaction will rollback automatically

B. Transaction will commit despite the exception

C. Transaction will rollback only if exception is caught and rethrown as RuntimeException

D. Transaction will pause until exception is handled

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall default rollback rules of @Transactional

   By default, only unchecked exceptions (RuntimeException) cause rollback.

2. Step 2: Analyze checked exception behavior

   Checked exceptions do not trigger rollback unless configured or rethrown as RuntimeException.

3. Final Answer:

   Transaction will commit despite the exception -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Checked exceptions do not rollback by default [OK]

Hint: Only RuntimeExceptions rollback by default [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming all exceptions cause rollback
• Not knowing difference between checked and unchecked exceptions
• Expecting rollback without configuration

5. You have a Spring Boot service with two methods:

public void outerMethod() {
    innerMethod();
}

@Transactional
public void innerMethod() {
    // database updates
    if(someCondition) throw new RuntimeException();
}

If outerMethod() is called, will the transaction rollback if innerMethod() throws the exception? Assume default proxy-based Spring transaction management.

hard

A. Yes, but only if outerMethod is also annotated with @Transactional

B. Yes, transaction rolls back because innerMethod is @Transactional

C. No, transaction does not rollback because outerMethod is not @Transactional and calls innerMethod internally

D. No, because RuntimeException does not trigger rollback in this case

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Spring proxy behavior for @Transactional

   Spring uses proxies, so self-invocation (method calling another in same class) bypasses proxy and ignores @Transactional.

2. Step 2: Analyze effect on transaction rollback

   Since outerMethod calls innerMethod directly, @Transactional on innerMethod is ignored, so no transaction starts and no rollback occurs.

3. Final Answer:

   No, transaction does not rollback because outerMethod is not @Transactional and calls innerMethod internally -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Self-call bypasses @Transactional proxy = no rollback [OK]

Hint: Self-calls ignore @Transactional proxy, no transaction started [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming @Transactional always works on internal calls
• Thinking RuntimeException always triggers rollback here
• Not knowing Spring proxy limitations