BootUI skill
A skill and MCP server that let an agent inspect requests, SQL and exceptions of a running Spring Boot or Quarkus application
- 323 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- Apache-2.0
Extended access
Why this level
- The skill reads traces, SQL and configuration of a running application, with secret values masked by default
- The vulnerability scan sends package names and versions to an external service, so the skill asks for approval first
Install
- Works in
Manual install
npx skills add https://github.com/jdubois/boot-ui/tree/main/skills/bootuiThe interactive installer detects supported agents.
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The skill reads traces, SQL and configuration of a running application, with secret values masked by default
- The vulnerability scan sends package names and versions to an external service, so the skill asks for approval first
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The BootUI skill teaches an agent to wire the local BootUI developer console into a Java application and read data from the running application: requests, SQL and exceptions. Beans, configuration, metrics and logs are available too. The console runs on Spring Boot and Quarkus, and the skill lives in the skills/bootui folder. The skill walks the agent through a fixed order. The agent first identifies the build tool and stack, then adds one BootUI dependency and starts the application in development mode. After that it assesses the application, proposes a prioritised plan and applies only the fixes you approve. The agent reaches the data in three ways: through MCP tools, through the bootui command line, or with a plain HTTP request to a local address. The skill tells the agent to name any scan, buffer clearing or other state-changing action aloud and to run it only after your approval. The skill helps find N+1 query problems, transactions split into parts and `@Transactional` calls that bypass the proxy. It also shows which routes a code change affects. After a fix the agent compares runs and verifies what changed in the application's behavior.
Who it is for. For Java developers on Spring Boot or Quarkus who debug slow requests, SQL and exceptions together with Claude Code, Cursor or GitHub Copilot.
Good fit when
- An endpoint responds slowly and you want to find repeated SELECTs and N+1 from a real request profile
- The application throws an exception and the agent needs the stack trace and cause chain from the running process
- Before editing a repository or bean you want to know which routes pass through it
- After a code change you want to compare test runs and see whether the changed method actually ran
- You want a prioritised health plan for the application: security, memory, database, REST
Not a fit when
- The application is not on Spring Boot 4 or Quarkus 3: the skill targets only those versions
- You need monitoring of a production server: BootUI runs only in local development, and it stays off in a Quarkus production build
- You want to open the console to outside addresses: the skill explicitly forbids weakening protection for convenience
Example request
The /orders endpoint takes 3 seconds. Set up BootUI, find the repeated SQL and propose a fix plan.Limitations
Java 17 or newer and a supported framework version, Spring Boot 4.x or Quarkus 3.x, are required. By default the console works only on a local address and masks secret values.
The `bootui` command line needs a JDK 17 and is installed separately; the skill asks for your consent first. Some panels depend on the libraries present and may be unavailable. The skill is in English. If a panel is missing in the application, the skill says so and does not loosen security settings to make a request work.
How to disable. Remove the BootUI dependency from the project build and restart the application. Remove the skill with your agent's skill removal command or by deleting the `bootui` folder from the skills directory.
FAQ
How do I install the BootUI skill in Claude Code?
Through the plugin: `/plugin marketplace add jdubois/boot-ui`, then `/plugin install bootui@bootui`. The plugin installs the skill and configures the MCP server together. The universal route for any agent that supports Agent Skills is `npx skills add https://github.com/jdubois/boot-ui/tree/main/skills/bootui`.
How do I install BootUI in GitHub Copilot and Cursor?
GitHub Copilot has the `gh skill install jdubois/boot-ui skills/bootui` command. For Cursor, the BootUI plugin is listed in Cursor Directory.
Do I need to enable the MCP server for the agent to see the application?
No. The skill first checks for MCP tools, then tries the `bootui` command line, then a plain HTTP request. It suggests enabling MCP with `bootui.mcp.enabled=ON` when you ask to connect an agent as a client.
What does exit code 3 from bootui mean?
A check run with `--fail-on <severity>` returns 3 when it finds an issue at or above that severity. Code 2 means the panel is disabled or read-only. This suits CI checks.
Can I add BootUI for Spring and Quarkus at once?
No. Spring Boot needs the com.julien-dubois.bootui:bootui-spring-boot-starter starter, Quarkus needs the com.julien-dubois.bootui:bootui-quarkus extension, and they must not be mixed. On Spring Boot both the servlet stack and WebFlux work.
Discussion
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Comparison with similar tools
Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Entry | Official | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| BootUI (this entry) | no | 323 | |
| spring-boot-skills | no | 330 | teaches an agent to write Spring Boot by your templates but does not read the running application |
| claude-code-java | no | 761 | a set of Java skills for review, JPA, concurrency and version migration, with no data from the live process |
README in short
The repository holds the BootUI console, a Spring Boot starter, a Quarkus extension, a command line and an MCP server. All parts are built on one diagnostics registry, and setup documentation lives on the project site.
README badge
Original SKILL.md
--- name: bootui description: Install, configure, and use BootUI in Spring Boot and Quarkus applications; assess a running application, propose a prioritized action plan, and execute only approved fixes using runtime evidence. Use when asked to add or troubleshoot BootUI, assess application health, or investigate a slow or failing endpoint, exceptions, SQL, Hibernate, beans, mappings, configuration, health, metrics, logs, or traces; to find runtime-only bugs such as N+1 queries, split transactions, or bypassed @Transactional proxies, or check which routes a code change affects and verify what it changed at runtime after the tests; also for architecture, security, memory, database, REST, pentest, GraalVM, CRaC, or vulnerability scans, or connecting an AI agent to BootUI. license: Apache-2.0 --- # BootUI Use BootUI as a local, runtime-grounded source of information for Spring Boot and Quarkus applications. Keep it local-only, preserve its fail-closed defaults, and make the smallest application change that addresses the user's request. ## Establish the application context Before changing anything: 1. Identify the build tool and use its wrapper when present. 2. Identify the framework and web stack: - Spring Boot servlet - Spring Boot WebFlux - Quarkus 3. Confirm Java 17 or later and a supported framework version (Spring Boot 4.x or Quarkus 3.x). 4. Find the runnable module, active development profile, configured HTTP port, and existing BootUI dependency. 5. Run the project's existing focused tests before and after changes when practical. Keep an existing application's own web stack. BootUI adds no web starter; a non-web Spring application needs an explicitly approved servlet starter and embedded server to serve the console. `bootui.force-web` requests servlet mode, not dependencies. Do not add the Spring starter to Quarkus or the Quarkus extension to Spring. ## Install BootUI Add the dependency only when the user asked for BootUI or approves the change. If a diagnostic request arrives and BootUI is not on the classpath, say so first rather than installing it silently. Determine the latest stable BootUI version from Maven Central or the [BootUI releases](https://github.com/jdubois/boot-ui/releases); do not guess a version or use a snapshot unless requested. Use the project's existing dependency-management and formatting conventions. Choose exactly one dependency: | Application | Maven coordinates | | --- | --- | | Spring Boot (Spring MVC or WebFlux) | `com.julien-dubois.bootui:bootui-spring-boot-starter` | | Quarkus | `com.julien-dubois.bootui:bootui-quarkus` | The Spring starter brings no web stack: keep the application's own `spring-boot-starter-web` or