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Updated August 2026 \u2014 full form-submit tutorial restored for this URL.<\/em><\/p>\n In this lesson, I will teach you how to insert data using a form with Thymeleaf<\/strong> in Spring Boot<\/strong>. We will bind the form to a Java model, submit it to a controller, and save the record.<\/p>\n If you want the full Thymeleaf + MySQL series (setup, list pages, Bootstrap), start here: Thymeleaf Spring Boot Complete Tutorial<\/a>.<\/p>\n We will cover:<\/p>\n 1. What you need<\/strong><\/p>\n A Spring Boot web project with:<\/p>\n Put HTML templates under 2. Model class<\/strong><\/p>\n Example student model (same idea works for any entity):<\/p>\n Repository:<\/p>\n 3. Show an empty form (GET)<\/strong><\/p>\n The GET handler puts a fresh object in the model so Thymeleaf can bind fields:<\/p>\n 4. Thymeleaf form markup<\/strong><\/p>\n Create Important attributes:<\/p>\n 5. Handle the POST submit<\/strong><\/p>\n After save, redirect to the list page (Post\/Redirect\/Get) so refreshing does not resubmit the form.<\/p>\n 6. Validate and redisplay the form<\/strong><\/p>\n Add validation annotations on the model:<\/p>\n Controller:<\/p>\n Show errors in the template:<\/p>\n Dependency: 7. Common mistakes<\/strong><\/p>\n Next steps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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spring-boot-starter-web<\/code><\/li>\nspring-boot-starter-thymeleaf<\/code><\/li>\nspring-boot-starter-data-jpa<\/code> (optional but used below)<\/li>\nsrc\/main\/resources\/templates\/<\/code>.<\/p>\n@Entity\npublic class Student {\n @Id\n @GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.IDENTITY)\n private Long id;\n private String name;\n private String department;\n\n \/\/ getters and setters\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\npublic interface StudentRepository extends JpaRepository<Student, Long> {}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n@Controller\n@RequestMapping(\"\/students\")\npublic class StudentController {\n\n private final StudentRepository repository;\n\n public StudentController(StudentRepository repository) {\n this.repository = repository;\n }\n\n @GetMapping(\"\/new\")\n public String showForm(Model model) {\n model.addAttribute(\"student\", new Student());\n return \"student-form\";\n }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\ntemplates\/student-form.html<\/code>:<\/p>\n<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html xmlns:th=\"http:\/\/www.thymeleaf.org\">\n<head>\n <title>Add Student<\/title>\n<\/head>\n<body>\n <h1>Add Student<\/h1>\n\n <form th:action=\"@{\/students}\" th:object=\"${student}\" method=\"post\">\n <div>\n <label>Name<\/label>\n <input type=\"text\" th:field=\"*{name}\" \/>\n <\/div>\n <div>\n <label>Department<\/label>\n <input type=\"text\" th:field=\"*{department}\" \/>\n <\/div>\n <button type=\"submit\">Save<\/button>\n <\/form>\n<\/body>\n<\/html>\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n
th:object=\"${student}\"<\/code> \u2014 the model attribute from the controller<\/li>\nth:field=\"*{name}\"<\/code> \u2014 binds to student.name<\/code> (and restores values after validation errors)<\/li>\nth:action=\"@{\/students}\"<\/code> \u2014 posts to your mapping<\/li>\nmethod=\"post\"<\/code> \u2014 must match @PostMapping<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n@PostMapping\npublic String save(@ModelAttribute(\"student\") Student student) {\n repository.save(student);\n return \"redirect:\/students\";\n}\n\n@GetMapping\npublic String list(Model model) {\n model.addAttribute(\"students\", repository.findAll());\n return \"students\";\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n@NotBlank\nprivate String name;\n<\/code><\/pre>\n@PostMapping\npublic String save(@Valid @ModelAttribute(\"student\") Student student,\n BindingResult result) {\n if (result.hasErrors()) {\n return \"student-form\";\n }\n repository.save(student);\n return \"redirect:\/students\";\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p th:if=\"${#fields.hasErrors('name')}\" th:errors=\"*{name}\"><\/p>\n<\/code><\/pre>\nspring-boot-starter-validation<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n
th:object<\/code> \u2014 fields will not bind.<\/li>\nname=\"name\"<\/code> only, without th:field<\/code> \u2014 works for simple cases but loses Thymeleaf binding\/errors.<\/li>\nth:action<\/code>.<\/li>\nredirect:...<\/code>.<\/li>\n