To override a Spring Boot configuration value, supply the same property from a higher-precedence source—for example, a command-line argument can override a value in application.properties. The exact ordering is versioned behavior: the ordering below follows the Spring Boot 3.4.13 reference. Check the reference for the version your application actually uses before relying on a specific order.
How Spring Boot decides which value wins
Spring Boot makes configuration values available through Spring’s Environment, @Value, and type-safe @ConfigurationProperties binding. When multiple sources define the same key, the later source in the precedence order overrides the earlier one. In Spring Boot 3.4.13, the broad order from lower to higher precedence is:
- Default properties set with
SpringApplication.setDefaultProperties. @PropertySourceannotations.- Config data, including application configuration files.
- Random values.
- Operating-system environment variables.
- Java system properties.
- JNDI attributes.
- Servlet context and servlet config parameters.
SPRING_APPLICATION_JSON.- Command-line arguments.
- Test-specific property sources and, where applicable, DevTools global settings in the documented order.
One timing caveat matters: @PropertySource is added too late to affect settings read early during startup, including some logging.* and spring.main.* properties. See the version-specific external configuration reference for the full ordering and details.
Override a property for a single run
Use a command-line argument
For a one-off run, pass the property as an application argument. For example, if application.properties contains name=Default, this command supplies a higher-priority value:
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Command-line properties are enabled by default. To disable their addition to the environment in application code, call SpringApplication.setAddCommandLineProperties(false). Use this only when the application should not accept configuration overrides through its command line.
Use environment variables or system properties
Environment variables and Java system properties also override config data in the 3.4.13 ordering. They are useful when a deployment platform injects values at process startup. Spring Boot supports environment-variable forms of property names, using underscores where periods cannot be used; follow its property binding rules when translating a key.
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You can also provide a JSON object through SPRING_APPLICATION_JSON, a system property, or a command-line property. JSON values can override lower-priority sources, but a JSON null is treated as missing by the property resolver. It therefore cannot erase a value supplied by a lower-priority source.
Override values in application files and profiles
Understand the default search order
Spring Boot searches for application configuration in classpath locations and in the working directory, including its config/ directory and immediate child directories. In the documented config-data sequence for Spring Boot 3.4.13, precedence proceeds through:
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- Packaged base application files.
- Packaged profile-specific application files.
- External base application files.
- External profile-specific application files.
For example, a packaged application.properties can provide a baseline, while an external application-prod.properties can provide a production-specific value. Profile-specific files use the active profile name in the filename, such as application-prod.properties.
Select profiles deliberately
Set spring.profiles.active to choose an environment-specific profile; it may also be supplied on the command line, where normal property-source precedence applies. When several profiles are active, the later profile takes precedence for conflicting values. The default profile name is default; change it with spring.profiles.default if needed.
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spring.profiles.active and spring.profiles.default must be declared in non-profile-specific documents. They cannot be used inside a profile-specific file to activate or set the default profile. See the Spring Boot 3.4.13 profile documentation for the placement rules.
Choose between replacing and adding configuration locations
The distinction is whether Spring Boot keeps its default search locations:
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| Setting | Effect | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
spring.config.location |
Replaces the default locations. | You intend to define the locations Spring Boot should use instead of its defaults. |
spring.config.additional-location |
Adds locations while retaining the defaults; values from the added locations can override default configuration. | You want to layer deployment-specific files over the standard application configuration. |
These properties are read very early, so supply them as environment properties, such as command-line options or Java system properties. A location can point to a file or directory; directory locations should end with /. Prefix a location with optional: when the application should continue starting if it is absent.
For example, use --spring.config.additional-location=optional:file:./deploy-config/ to keep the normal search paths while adding an optional external directory. Use --spring.config.location=... only when replacing those paths is intentional.
Layer additional files with imports and mounted configuration
Import another configuration file
Use spring.config.import in a configuration document to load more config data. Values from the imported file override values in the document that declares the import. Repeating the same import declaration loads that location only once, and imported locations can have profile-specific variants. Prefix an import with optional: if a missing location should not prevent startup. Spring Boot supports Java Properties, YAML, and configuration trees by default; other location types can be provided by extensions. See the external configuration reference for import syntax and supported locations.
Load files from a configuration tree
For deployments that mount configuration as files, Spring Boot supports configuration trees that map those files into properties. This can load mounted values such as container secrets. The mechanism describes how values enter configuration; it does not by itself define a complete secret-management or access-control design. The Spring Boot 4.1 development reference describes configuration trees and related mechanisms, but it is a snapshot rather than a stable-version guarantee. Check the documentation for the version you deploy.
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Trace an unexpected value to its source
When an override does not work, diagnose the exact property rather than changing files at random:
Quick Recap
- Confirm the Spring Boot version. Consult that version’s reference because configuration ordering can change between versions.
- Identify the exact key and consumer. Check how the application reads it: through
@Value, theEnvironment, or@ConfigurationProperties. - Inventory the sources that define it. Include active profiles, packaged and external files, environment variables, system properties, JSON configuration, and runtime arguments.
- Choose the intended higher-priority source. For added files, decide whether to retain defaults with
spring.config.additional-locationor replace them withspring.config.location. - Verify profile selection and file names. Confirm that the intended profile is active and that its file follows the expected naming and location rules.
- Inspect the resolved environment. If Spring Boot Actuator is enabled and the endpoints are accessible, use
envorconfigpropsto investigate the resolved value and its contributing sources. Consult the configuration reference for their diagnostic use.
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