How to Configure MariaDB in Dropwizard

July 25, 2025

Dropwizard is a solid framework for building REST APIs, and pairing it with MariaDB gives you a powerful combo for reliable persistence. With Docker for local development and Kubernetes for production, you can easily manage your database configuration with environment-based YAML files. Here's how to set it up smoothly and securely.

1. Add Dependencies to `pom.xml`

Make sure your project includes these key dependencies:

<dependencies>
  <!-- Dropwizard core -->
  <dependency>
    <groupId>io.dropwizard</groupId>
    <artifactId>dropwizard-core</artifactId>
    <version>${dropwizard.version}</version>
  </dependency>

  <!-- MariaDB JDBC driver -->
  <dependency>
    <groupId>org.mariadb.jdbc</groupId>
    <artifactId>mariadb-java-client</artifactId>
    <version>${mariadb.version}</version>
  </dependency>

  <!-- Kubernetes client (optional) -->
  <dependency>
    <groupId>io.fabric8</groupId>
    <artifactId>kubernetes-client</artifactId>
    <version>${fabric8.version}</version>
  </dependency>
</dependencies>

These enable Dropwizard, MariaDB connectivity, and optional Kubernetes support.

2. Run MariaDB Using Docker (Development)

Create a docker-compose.yml like this:

version: '3'
services:
  mariadb:
    image: mariadb:10.11
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpass
      MYSQL_DATABASE: devdb
      MYSQL_USER: devuser
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: devpass
    ports:
      - "3306:3306"

Run it:

docker-compose up -d

This launches MariaDB at localhost:3306 with a devdb database and login credentials ready.

3. Create `config-dev.yml` for Local Setup

Add connection details in config-dev.yml:

server:
  applicationConnectors:
    - type: http
      port: 8080

database:
  driverClass: org.mariadb.jdbc.Driver
  user: devuser
  password: devpass
  url: jdbc:mariadb://localhost:3306/devdb
  validationQuery: SELECT 1

Extend your configuration class:

public class DbConfig {
  @JsonProperty public String driverClass;
  @JsonProperty public String user;
  @JsonProperty public String password;
  @JsonProperty public String url;
  @JsonProperty public String validationQuery;
}

public class AppConfig extends Configuration {
  @JsonProperty("database")
  public DbConfig database = new DbConfig();
}

Initialize the database in your application:

ManagedDataSource ds = database.build(environment.metrics(), "db");
environment.lifecycle().manage(ds);

Run locally:

java -jar target/myapp.jar server config-dev.yml

4. Prepare Kubernetes for Production

Avoid hardcoding credentials by using Kubernetes ConfigMaps and Secrets.
Run:

kubectl create configmap mariadb-config \
  --from-literal=DB_URL=jdbc:mariadb://mariadb-svc:3306/proddb \
  --from-literal=DB_DRIVER=org.mariadb.jdbc.Driver \
  --from-literal=DB_VALIDATION_QUERY=SELECT 1

kubectl create secret generic mariadb-secret \
  --from-literal=DB_USER=produser \
  --from-literal=DB_PASSWORD=prodpass

5. Define `config-prod.yml` for Secure Production

Point the YAML to environment variables:

server:
  applicationConnectors:
    - type: http
      port: 8080

database:
  driverClass: ${DB_DRIVER}
  user: ${DB_USER}
  password: ${DB_PASSWORD}
  url: ${DB_URL}
  validationQuery: ${DB_VALIDATION_QUERY}

6. Kubernetes Deployment Snippet

Ensure environment variables are set from your ConfigMap and Secret:

env:
  - name: DB_URL
    valueFrom:
      configMapKeyRef:
        name: mariadb-config
        key: DB_URL
  - name: DB_DRIVER
    valueFrom:
      configMapKeyRef:
        name: mariadb-config
        key: DB_DRIVER
  - name: DB_VALIDATION_QUERY
    valueFrom:
      configMapKeyRef:
        name: mariadb-config
        key: DB_VALIDATION_QUERY
  - name: DB_USER
    valueFrom:
      secretKeyRef:
        name: mariadb-secret
        key: DB_USER
  - name: DB_PASSWORD
    valueFrom:
      secretKeyRef:
        name: mariadb-secret
        key: DB_PASSWORD

Run in Kubernetes with:

java -jar myapp.jar server config-prod.yml

7. Why This Approach Works

Docker setup provides a quick and isolated dev environment.
Kubernetes secrets/configMaps keep credentials secure and scalable.
Two config files (config-dev.yml and config-prod.yml) keep environments clean and isolated.
Ease of transition from local testing to production with minimal changes.

You now have a robust, secure foundation for using MariaDB with Dropwizard—fast iteration locally, secure deployments in Kubernetes, and clean separation of configuration per environment. Whether you're caching data, persisting user sessions, or handling business data, this architecture is ready to scale with confidence.

1. Add Dependencies to pom.xml