Native Spring apps with GraalVM on Azure

(~TDLR - watch our latest series for Java on Azure Quickstarts https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPeZXlCR7ew9jbxDG3_i0tA5COcMMDAsa )

I've been exploring the use of native images for Java applications on Azure and found some impressive ways to boost performance. Here's a breakdown of what I've learned and how you can apply it to your projects.

Understanding Native Images

Native images can significantly improve the performance of Java applications in the cloud. By compiling ahead-of-time with GraalVM, we eliminate the JVM's startup time and reduce memory usage. I've demonstrated this with the Spring Pet Clinic application in a recent video, where I deployed two versions on Azure Spring Apps Enterprise. The native image version started in milliseconds, a massive improvement over the traditional JVM deployment.

Step-by-Step with Microsoft Learn

To get a detailed walkthrough, Microsoft Learn offers a quickstart guide on deploying Java native image apps. This guide is practical and straightforward, providing clear instructions from development to deployment on Azure Spring Apps.

Real-World Benefits

The key takeaway from both the video and the Learn module is clear: native images are not just faster; they're also more resource-efficient. This translates to cost savings and better scalability for your Java applications in the cloud.