Most Java developers think building AI features means learning Python first.
It doesn't.
Spring AI gives you ChatClient, VectorStore, function calling, and structured output — inside the same Spring Boot app you already know how to build, test, and deploy. You don't need to bolt on a separate Python service just to add a chatbot, a RAG pipeline, or an agent to your product.
To make that concrete, I put together 100 project ideas you can build with Spring Boot and Spring AI. Not vague titles — each one comes with the actual stack you'd reach for.
Here are five, to give you a feel for the format:
| Project | Stack |
|---|---|
| Support Bot with RAG | Spring AI + pgvector + QuestionAnswerAdvisor
|
| Meeting Notes Summarizer |
BeanOutputConverter → ActionItem records |
| Natural Language to SQL | JDBC DatabaseMetaData for schema context |
| Repo-Aware Coding Agent | Tree-sitter + VectorStore + function calling |
| Voice Support Agent | WebSocket audio + RAG + function calling |
The three tiers
The full list is organized by difficulty, so you can pick something that matches where you are right now instead of jumping straight into agent orchestration:
-
1–40 · Beginner — Spring Boot + Spring AI fundamentals: your first
ChatClientcalls, prompt templates, basic conversational endpoints. - 41–80 · Intermediate — RAG pipelines and integrations: vector stores, document ingestion, structured output, calling external APIs from a model.
- 81–100 · Advanced — Agents and orchestration: multi-step reasoning, tool-calling agents, and systems that coordinate several models or services.
Why I'm doing this project by project
I'm building these one at a time — real code, real architecture decisions, and the parts that break along the way (because something always does). Each finished project gets a full write-up: what I built, the tradeoffs I hit, and the code itself.
Want the full list of all 100 projects (with stacks) as a PDF? Download it here — save it for later.
If you want to follow along as the series grows, I'm publishing every project on my Substack the day it's done — subscribe here to get each one as it lands.
I also run a small community for Java developers building with Spring Boot and Spring AI, if you want to talk through ideas or share what you're building: Global Java Developers Community.
Which one should I build first? Drop a number (or a project idea of your own) in the comments — I'm picking the next build from replies.
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