Installing Spring Framework in Windows

Here is a simple tutorial on installing and configuring Spring Framework. This is very simple that you'll just laugh at it. All you need to do is to just set the classpath for two jar files and that's it. Simple is that. In this post i am going to discuss about in brief about those 2 jar files and why you need them in your classpath along with how to set them to classpath.



1. First download the Spring Framework 2.5.6 (i am using this version in my blog). This is useful because you need to work with Spring classes like FileSystemResource, XmlBeanFactory etc.

2. Next download the Commons Logging. Download the zip file and in it find the jar file with the name commons-logging-<version-number>.jar where <version-number> refers the version such as 1.1.2. Don't be confused with other jar files. Just search for the file which contains no english word other than commons-logging. This jar file is needed because Spring Framework makes use of this framework for logging. So you need it.
3. After wards, set the classpath for these two files.
4. Now your Spring is ready. Kickstart it with my post on Getting started with Spring Framework
5. After that you can take a look at Hello World Spring Framework application.

For setting the classpath

For this download the jar files mentioned above to a folder of your wish. Get the complete path of those jar files. For instance, if you have downloaded them and stored in C:\springjars. Then the path of the jar files might look

C:\springjars\spring-2.5.6.SEC03.jar

C:\springjars\commons-logging-1.1.2.jar

Now, go to My Computer click on Properties > Advanced > Environment Variables > User Variables > New.

Then, in the dialog type CLASSPATH in the variable name field and in the variable value field, type

C:\springjars\spring-2.5.6.SEC03.jar;C:\springjars\commons-logging-1.1.2.jar;

Click on OK > OK > OK

Note if the CLASSPATH already exists append C:\springjars\spring-2.5.6.SEC03.jar;C:\springjars\commons-logging-1.1.2.jar; to the end of the variable value. Be that there is semicolon at the end first (before you paste this). You can also refer to my video tutorial on setting classpath permanently for any framework (General). Simple. In this way we can install spring framework. Isn't it simple. It is. Feel free to drop a comment.