The External Configuration pattern separates application configuration (e.g., credentials, URLs, environment settings) from application code.
Why Use It?
| Benefit | Reason |
|---|---|
| Environment flexibility | Deploy same app to dev, staging, prod with different configs |
| Security | Keep secrets out of source code |
| Dynamic updates | Change config at runtime without restarting apps |
| CI/CD friendly | Promote the same artifact across environments |
When to Use External Configuration?
| Situation | External Config Needed? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Same app runs in multiple environments | ✅ Yes | Dev vs QA vs Prod URLs |
| Config changes frequently | ✅ Yes | Feature flags, pricing rules, etc. |
| Secure secrets are used | ✅ Yes | DB passwords, API keys, tokens |
| Local-only development app | ❌ Maybe Not | Use application.properties or .env |
External Configuration + Secrets
Never put passwords or tokens in plain YAML or Git.
Use:
- 🔒 Vault (HashiCorp)
- 🧊 AWS Secrets Manager / Parameter Store
- 🧾 Spring Cloud Vault
- 🔁 Kubernetes Secrets (with encryption)
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