Info endpoint configuration in Spring Boot - Step-by-Step Execution

Concept Flow - Info endpoint configuration

Start Spring Boot App

↓

Load application.properties

↓

Check for info properties

↓

Expose /actuator/info endpoint

↓

Client requests /actuator/info

↓

Return configured info JSON

↓

Display info data to client

The app loads info properties from config, exposes the /actuator/info endpoint, and returns info data when requested.

Execution Sample

Spring Boot

management.endpoints.web.exposure.include=info
info.app.name=MyApp
info.app.version=1.0.0

This config exposes the info endpoint and sets app name and version info.

Execution Table

Step	Action	Config Loaded	Endpoint Exposed	Response to /actuator/info
1	Start app	No config yet	No	N/A
2	Load properties	info.app.name=MyApp, info.app.version=1.0.0	No	N/A
3	Expose info endpoint	Same as step 2	Yes	N/A
4	Client requests /actuator/info	Same as step 2	Yes	{"app":{"name":"MyApp","version":"1.0.0"}}
5	Response sent	Same as step 2	Yes	Client sees JSON info data

💡 Info endpoint is exposed and returns configured info data on request.

Variable Tracker

Variable	Start	After Load Config	After Expose Endpoint	After Request
info.app.name	null	"MyApp"	"MyApp"	"MyApp"
info.app.version	null	"1.0.0"	"1.0.0"	"1.0.0"
endpoint.info.exposed	false	false	true	true
response.info.json	null	null	null	{"app":{"name":"MyApp","version":"1.0.0"}}

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why doesn't the /actuator/info endpoint show data before setting info properties?

Because the info properties like info.app.name must be set in config before Spring Boot can include them in the info endpoint response, as shown in execution_table step 2 vs step 4.

What happens if management.endpoints.web.exposure.include does not include 'info'?

The info endpoint won't be exposed, so requests to /actuator/info will fail or return 404, as seen in execution_table step 3 where endpoint is not exposed until configured.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the response to /actuator/info at step 4?

A 404 Not Found

B {"app":{"name":"MyApp","version":"1.0.0"}}

C Empty JSON {}

D Error 500

💡 Hint

Check the 'Response to /actuator/info' column at step 4 in execution_table.

At which step does the info endpoint become exposed?

A Step 3

B Step 1

C Step 2

D Step 5

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Endpoint Exposed' column in execution_table.

If you remove 'info.app.name' from config, what changes in variable_tracker after request?

A endpoint.info.exposed becomes false

B info.app.version becomes null

C info.app.name becomes null in response.info.json

D response.info.json is empty

💡 Hint

Refer to variable_tracker row for info.app.name and response.info.json after request.

Concept Snapshot

Info endpoint config in Spring Boot:
- Set management.endpoints.web.exposure.include=info
- Add info.app.name, info.app.version in properties
- /actuator/info returns these as JSON
- Endpoint must be exposed to be accessible
- Useful for app metadata and health info

Full Transcript

This visual trace shows how Spring Boot loads info endpoint configuration. First, the app starts with no config. Then it loads properties including info.app.name and info.app.version. Next, it exposes the /actuator/info endpoint because the management.endpoints.web.exposure.include includes 'info'. When a client requests /actuator/info, the app returns a JSON with the configured info data. Variables like info.app.name and info.app.version hold the metadata, endpoint.info.exposed tracks if the endpoint is active, and response.info.json shows the returned JSON. Key points include that the info properties must be set to see data, and the endpoint must be exposed to be accessible. The quizzes test understanding of response content, exposure timing, and config effects.