Spring Framework 7 is here with a new testing tool that every Java developer needs to know about! The new Rest Test Client combines the best of MockMVC and WebTestClient into one powerful, fluent API that makes testing REST APIs a breeze.

In this tutorial, I'll show you exactly how to leverage Spring Boot 4's Rest Test Client across different testing scenarios, from lightning-fast unit tests to full end-to-end integration tests with real servers.

What You'll Learn:
• How to migrate from RestTemplate to the new Rest Test Client
• Writing unit tests with bindToController for blazing-fast test execution
• Integration testing with MockMVC using bindToMockMvc
• Full application context testing with bindToApplicationContext
• End-to-end testing with real servers using bindToServer
• Best practices for choosing the right testing strategy for your needs

Key Takeaways:
✅ One consistent API for all types of REST API tests
✅ Fluent, readable syntax that makes tests self-documenting
✅ Seamless integration with Spring's testing infrastructure
✅ Support for validation, security, and HTTP-specific testing
✅ Practical examples you can implement immediately

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction & Spring 7 Overview
2:45 Setting up the project with Spring Initializr
4:30 Creating the Todo model and controller
7:15 Unit testing with bindToController
11:20 Integration testing with MockMVC
15:30 Application context testing
18:45 End-to-end testing with real servers
20:30 Summary & best practices

Resources:
📝 GitHub Repository: https://github.com/danvega/rest-test-client
📚 The Road to GA: https://spring.io/blog/2025/09/02/road_to_ga_introduction
🔗 Blog Post & Written Guide: https://www.danvega.dev/blog/spring-framework-7-rest-test-client
🎯 Spring Boot 4 Features Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZV0a2jwt22v874ngZcWw3umP2yfsV9sK

👍 If this helped you write better tests faster, hit that like button and subscribe for more Spring Framework content! Drop a comment below with your thoughts on Spring 7's new features.

👋🏻Connect with me:
Website: https://www.danvega.dev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealdanvega
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danvega
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Dan Vega

Spring Framework 7 and Spring Boot 4 introduce a new RestTestClient that unifies REST API testing into a single fluent API. It combines the best of MockMVC and WebTestClient, supporting four testing modes: binding to a controller (fast unit tests, no Spring context), binding to MockMVC (slice tests with Spring MVC support for validation/security), binding to the application context (full Spring context, no server), and binding to a real server (full end-to-end with HTTP). Each mode suits different testing needs, from quick unit tests with mocked dependencies to full integration tests hitting live APIs. The RestTemplate is also being deprecated in favor of the RestClient, making this new testing infrastructure timely.

Testing your REST APIs in Spring Boot 4 with the new RestTestClient