A software developer’s practical view with a simple Spring Boot backend example
Introduction: Why Software Developers Should Care
As developers, we’re often told that infrastructure and deployments are “someone else’s job.” In reality, modern development demands ownership beyond writing code. Reliable deployments, repeatable environments, and faster feedback loops matter just as much as clean APIs.
Terraform and AWX (Ansible) are often seen as DevOps only tools, but when used correctly, they can significantly simplify a developer’s life.
This post explains how developers can use Terraform and AWX together using a simple Spring Boot backend API example — without turning into infrastructure specialists.
The Developer Problem
Imagine you’ve built a Spring Boot REST API. You need:
- A server or VM
- Java runtime
- Consistent deployments across environments
You don’t want to manually SSH into servers or repeat setup steps every time.
Terraform handles infrastructure creation.
AWX handles configuration and deployment.
Together, they give developers self-service, repeatable deployments.
High-Level Flow (Developer View)
Terraform → creates infrastructure
AWX → configures & deploys app
Spring Boot → runs consistently everywhere
Step 1: Simple Spring Boot Backend API
Keep the application intentionally simple.
@RestController
public class HealthController {
@GetMapping("/health")
public String health() {
return "Spring Boot API is running";
}
}
Build the application:
mvn clean package
This produces a JAR file:
target/demo-api.jar
Step 2: Terraform – Infrastructure as Code
Terraform defines where your application runs.
provider "aws" {
region = "us-east-1"
}
resource "aws_instance" "spring_api" {
ami = "ami-0abcdef"
instance_type = "t3.micro"
tags = {
Name = "spring-api-dev"
}
}
Why developers like Terraform:
- Infrastructure is version-controlled
- Environments are reproducible
- No cloud console clicking
Step 3: AWX – Deployment Without SSH
Once Terraform creates the server, AWX takes over deployment.
AWX:
- Runs Ansible playbooks
- Tracks execution logs
- Allows redeployments with one click
Step 4: Ansible Playbook Used by AWX
This playbook installs Java and deploys the Spring Boot application.
- hosts: spring_api
become: yes
tasks:
- name: Install Java
apt:
name: openjdk-17-jdk
state: present
update_cache: yes
- name: Copy application jar
copy:
src: /artifacts/demo-api.jar
dest: /opt/demo-api.jar
- name: Run Spring Boot app
shell: |
nohup java -jar /opt/demo-api.jar > app.log 2>&1 &
AWX handles execution, retries, and visibility.
How Terraform and AWX Work Together
- Terraform provisions infrastructure
- Terraform outputs server details (IP, host)
- AWX inventory is updated
- AWX deploys the application
From a developer’s perspective:
Infrastructure is code. Deployment is code. Behavior is predictable.
Why This Matters for Developers
- Faster feedback loops – no waiting for infra requests
- Fewer production surprises – same process everywhere
- Clear ownership – developers own delivery logic
- Career growth – DevOps fluency without losing dev focus
When This Pattern Works Best
- Spring Boot microservices
- Internal APIs
- Cloud or hybrid environments
- Teams practicing real DevOps
Final Thoughts
Terraform and AWX are not “extra tools” — they are developer accelerators.
As software developers, our value extends beyond writing code. When we own infrastructure and deployments responsibly, we deliver systems — not just features.
