Implementing Password Change Functionality in Spring Boot: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction …………………………………………. 1
Setting Up Your Spring Boot Project …………. 3
Updating the Account Model ……………………….. 6
Implementing the Account Controller ……………. 10
Handling Password Reset Tokens …………………….. 14
Creating the Password Change View ……………….. 18
Testing the Password Change Functionality …….. 22
Conclusion …………………………………………………. 26

Introduction

In today’s digital age, ensuring the security of user accounts is paramount. One crucial aspect of this security is implementing robust password management features, such as password reset and change functionalities. This eBook provides a step-by-step guide to implementing a password change feature in a Spring Boot application, tailored for beginners and developers with basic knowledge.

Importance and Purpose

Allowing users to change their passwords enhances account security and user trust. This feature enables users to update their credentials in case of security breaches or forgotten passwords, ensuring ongoing protection of their personal information.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

Enhanced Security: Regular password updates reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
User Trust: Providing easy password management improves user confidence in your application.
Compliance: Meets security standards and regulatory requirements.

Cons:

Implementation Complexity: Requires careful handling of tokens and secure communication.
User Experience: Poorly implemented features can frustrate users.

When and Where to Use

Implement password change functionality in applications where user accounts are managed, such as e-commerce platforms, social networks, and enterprise software. It’s essential whenever user authentication is involved to maintain ongoing account security.

Comparison Table: Password Reset vs. Password Change

Feature	Password Reset	Password Change
Purpose	Recover access when password is forgotten	Update password while logged in
Trigger	User initiates reset via email link	User initiates change within account settings
Token Usage	Utilizes reset token sent via email	May not require a token if user is authenticated
Security Considerations	High, as it involves email verification	Moderate, requires existing authentication

Usage Table: Scenarios for Implementing Password Features

Scenario	Applicable Feature
User forgets password	Password Reset
User updates password proactively	Password Change
Security breach requires immediate password update	Password Reset
Regular account maintenance	Password Change

Setting Up Your Spring Boot Project

Before diving into implementing the password change functionality, ensure your Spring Boot project is correctly set up.

Prerequisites

Java Development Kit (JDK): Ensure you have JDK 8 or higher installed.
Maven or Gradle: For project dependency management.
IDE: IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, or any preferred Java IDE.
Database: MySQL, PostgreSQL, or any relational database.

Creating the Spring Boot Application

Initialize the Project:
- Use Spring Initializr to generate a new Spring Boot project.
- Select dependencies:
  - Spring Web
  - Spring Data JPA
  - Thymeleaf
  - Spring Security
  - H2 Database (for development purposes)
Import the Project:
- Import the generated project into your IDE.
Configure Database Connection:
- Update the application.properties file with your database credentials.


spring.datasource.url=jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/blogdb
spring.datasource.username=root
spring.datasource.password=yourpassword
spring.jpa.hibernate.ddl-auto=update
spring.jpa.show-sql=true

spring.datasource.url=jdbc:mysql://localhost:3306/blogdb

spring.datasource.username=root

spring.datasource.password=yourpassword

spring.jpa.hibernate.ddl-auto=update

spring.jpa.show-sql=true

Project Structure Overview

Understanding the project structure is vital for efficient navigation and implementation.


SpringBlog/
├── src/
│   ├── main/
│   │   ├── java/org/studyeasy/SpringBlog/
│   │   │   ├── config/
│   │   │   ├── controller/
│   │   │   ├── models/
│   │   │   ├── repositories/
│   │   │   ├── services/
│   │   │   └── SpringBlogApplication.java
│   │   ├── resources/
│   │   │   ├── static/
│   │   │   └── templates/
└── pom.xml

SpringBlog/

├── src/

│ ├── main/

│ │ ├── java/org/studyeasy/SpringBlog/

│ │ │ ├── config/

│ │ │ ├── controller/

│ │ │ ├── models/

│ │ │ ├── repositories/

│ │ │ ├── services/

│ │ │ └── SpringBlogApplication.java

│ │ ├── resources/

│ │ │ ├── static/

│ │ │ └── templates/

└── pom.xml

Updating the Account Model

The Account model represents user accounts in your application. To support password change functionality, you’ll need to update this model to include fields for password reset tokens.

Adding the Token Field

Navigate to the Account.java Model:


package org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.models;

import javax.persistence.*;
import java.time.LocalDateTime;

@Entity
public class Account {
    @Id
    @GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.IDENTITY)
    private Long id;

    private String email;
    private String password;

    @Column(name = "token")
    private String passwordResetToken;

    private LocalDateTime tokenExpiry;

    // Getters and Setters
}

package org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.models;

import javax.persistence.*;

import java.time.LocalDateTime;

@Entity

public class Account {

@Id

@GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.IDENTITY)

private Long id;

private String email;

private String password;

@Column(name = "token")

private String passwordResetToken;

private LocalDateTime tokenExpiry;

// Getters and Setters

}

Explanation:
- passwordResetToken: Stores the unique token sent to the user’s email for password resetting.
- tokenExpiry: Records the expiration time of the token to ensure security.

Migrating the Database

After updating the model, ensure the database schema reflects these changes.

Run the Application:
- Spring Boot automatically updates the database schema based on the ddl-auto=update property.
Verify the Changes:
- Access your database and confirm that the Account table now includes the token and token_expiry columns.

Implementing the Account Controller

The AccountController manages user-related operations, including password reset and change functionalities.

Adding the Change Password Endpoint

Navigate to AccountController.java:


package org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.controller;

import org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.services.AccountService;
import org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.models.Account;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
import org.springframework.stereotype.Controller;
import org.springframework.ui.Model;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestParam;
import org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.support.RedirectAttributes;

import java.time.LocalDateTime;
import java.util.Optional;

@Controller
public class AccountController {

    @Autowired
    private AccountService accountService;

    @GetMapping("/change-password")
    public String changePasswordPage(
            @RequestParam("token") String token,
            Model model,
            RedirectAttributes redirectAttributes) {

        Optional<Account> optionalAccount = accountService.findByToken(token);

        if (optionalAccount.isPresent()) {
            Account account = optionalAccount.get();
            Long accountId = account.getId();

            LocalDateTime now = LocalDateTime.now();
            if (now.isAfter(account.getTokenExpiry())) {
                redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("error", "Token expired");
                return "redirect:/forgot-password";
            }

            model.addAttribute("accountId", accountId);
            return "account_views/change_password";
        } else {
            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("error", "Invalid token");
            return "redirect:/forgot-password";
        }
    }

    // Additional methods...
}

package org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.controller;

import org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.services.AccountService;

import org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.models.Account;

import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;

import org.springframework.stereotype.Controller;

import org.springframework.ui.Model;

import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;

import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestParam;

import org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.support.RedirectAttributes;

import java.time.LocalDateTime;

import java.util.Optional;

@Controller

public class AccountController {

@Autowired

private AccountService accountService;

@GetMapping("/change-password")

public String changePasswordPage(

@RequestParam("token") String token,

Model model,

RedirectAttributes redirectAttributes) {

Optional<Account> optionalAccount = accountService.findByToken(token);

if (optionalAccount.isPresent()) {

Account account = optionalAccount.get();

Long accountId = account.getId();

LocalDateTime now = LocalDateTime.now();

if (now.isAfter(account.getTokenExpiry())) {

redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("error", "Token expired");

return "redirect:/forgot-password";

}

model.addAttribute("accountId", accountId);

return "account_views/change_password";

} else {

redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("error", "Invalid token");

return "redirect:/forgot-password";

}

// Additional methods...

}

Explanation:
- Endpoint: /change-password handles GET requests for password changes.
- Parameters:
  - token: The password reset token received via email.
- Process:
  - Validate Token: Checks if the token exists and hasn’t expired.
  - Redirect on Failure: If invalid or expired, redirects to the forgot password page with an error message.
  - Load View: If valid, loads the change password view.

Key Concepts and Terminology

@Controller: Indicates that this class serves as a controller in the Spring MVC framework.
@GetMapping: Maps HTTP GET requests to specific handler methods.
Model: Facilitates passing data to the view.
RedirectAttributes: Allows attributes to be passed during a redirect scenario.
Optional: Encapsulates the possibility of an absent Account object.

Handling Password Reset Tokens

Managing password reset tokens is crucial for the security and functionality of the password change feature.

Creating the Token Generation Method

Navigate to AccountService.java:


package org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.services;

import org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.models.Account;
import org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.repositories.AccountRepository;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;

import java.util.Optional;
import java.util.UUID;

@Service
public class AccountService {

    @Autowired
    private AccountRepository accountRepository;

    public Optional<Account> findByToken(String token) {
        return accountRepository.findByPasswordResetToken(token);
    }

    public void createPasswordResetToken(Account account) {
        String token = UUID.randomUUID().toString();
        account.setPasswordResetToken(token);
        account.setTokenExpiry(LocalDateTime.now().plusHours(24));
        accountRepository.save(account);
        // Send email with token...
    }

    // Additional methods...
}

package org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.services;

import org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.models.Account;

import org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.repositories.AccountRepository;

import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;

import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;

import java.util.Optional;

import java.util.UUID;

@Service

public class AccountService {

@Autowired

private AccountRepository accountRepository;

public Optional<Account> findByToken(String token) {

return accountRepository.findByPasswordResetToken(token);

}

public void createPasswordResetToken(Account account) {

String token = UUID.randomUUID().toString();

account.setPasswordResetToken(token);

account.setTokenExpiry(LocalDateTime.now().plusHours(24));

accountRepository.save(account);

// Send email with token...

}

// Additional methods...

}

Explanation:
- findByToken: Retrieves an Account based on the provided token.
- createPasswordResetToken: Generates a unique token, sets its expiration, and saves it to the account. Additionally, it initiates the process to send the token via email.

Repository Method for Token Lookup

Navigate to AccountRepository.java:


package org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.repositories;

import org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.models.Account;
import org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.JpaRepository;

import java.util.Optional;

public interface AccountRepository extends JpaRepository<Account, Long> {
    Optional<Account> findByPasswordResetToken(String token);
}

package org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.repositories;

import org.studyeasy.SpringBlog.models.Account;

import org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.JpaRepository;

import java.util.Optional;

public interface AccountRepository extends JpaRepository<Account, Long> {

Optional<Account> findByPasswordResetToken(String token);

}

Explanation:
- findByPasswordResetToken: A custom method following Spring Data JPA’s naming conventions to find an account by its password reset token.

Security Considerations

Token Uniqueness: Ensure tokens are unique and random to prevent guessing.
Token Expiry: Set a reasonable expiration time (e.g., 24 hours) to limit the window of vulnerability.
Secure Storage: Store tokens securely in the database, potentially using hashing for added security.

Creating the Password Change View

The view presents the user interface for entering a new password. Using Thymeleaf templates, you can create a user-friendly form.

Designing the change_password.html Template

Navigate to src/main/resources/templates/account_views/change_password.html:


<!DOCTYPE html>
<html xmlns:th="http://www.thymeleaf.org">
<head>
    <title>Change Password</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" th:href="@{/css/style.css}">
</head>
<body>
    <div class="container">
        <h2>Change Your Password</h2>
        <form th:action="@{/update-password}" method="post">
            <input type="hidden" th:name="accountId" th:value="${accountId}" />
            
            <div class="form-group">
                <label for="newPassword">New Password:</label>
                <input type="password" class="form-control" id="newPassword" name="newPassword" required>
            </div>

            <div class="form-group">
                <label for="confirmPassword">Confirm Password:</label>
                <input type="password" class="form-control" id="confirmPassword" name="confirmPassword" required>
            </div>

            <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Update Password</button>
        </form>
    </div>
    <script th:src="@{/js/jquery-3.4.1.min.js}"></script>
    <script th:src="@{/js/bootstrap.js}"></script>
</body>
</html>

<!DOCTYPE html>

<head>

<title>Change Password</title>

</head>

<body>

<h2>Change Your Password</h2>

<label for="newPassword">New Password:</label>

</div>

<label for="confirmPassword">Confirm Password:</label>

</div>

<button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Update Password</button>

</form>

</div>

</body>

</html>

Diagram: Password Change Workflow


graph TD;
    A[User Requests Password Change] --> B[System Generates Token]
    B --> C[Send Token via Email]
    C --> D[User Clicks on Reset Link]
    D --> E[Validate Token]
    E --> F[Show Password Change Form]
    F --> G[User Submits New Password]
    G --> H[Update Password in Database]
    H --> I[Confirmation Message]

graph TD;

A[User Requests Password Change] --> B[System Generates Token]

B --> C[Send Token via Email]

C --> D[User Clicks on Reset Link]

D --> E[Validate Token]

E --> F[Show Password Change Form]

F --> G[User Submits New Password]

G --> H[Update Password in Database]

H --> I[Confirmation Message]

Key Features

User-Friendly Interface: Clean and intuitive design for ease of use.
Validation: Ensure that the new password meets security standards and that both password fields match.
Feedback Mechanism: Inform users of successful password updates or errors during the process.

Testing the Password Change Functionality

After implementing the password change feature, thorough testing ensures its reliability and security.

Steps to Test

Initiate Password Reset:
- Navigate to the forgot password page.
- Enter a registered email address.
- Ensure that an email with a reset link containing a valid token is received.
Access Reset Link:
- Click on the link in the email.
- Verify that the change password view loads correctly if the token is valid.
- Attempt to use an invalid or expired token to confirm proper error handling.
Submit New Password:
- Enter a new password and confirm it.
- Submit the form and ensure that the password is updated in the database.
- Attempt to log in with the new password to verify the change.
Edge Cases:
- Test with mismatched passwords to check validation.
- Attempt multiple password reset requests to ensure token uniqueness and handling.

Example Output

Upon successfully changing the password, the user should see a confirmation message similar to:


Your password has been successfully updated. You can now log in with your new credentials.

Your password has been successfully updated. You can now log in with your new credentials.

Code Snippets with Comments

Updating the Password in AccountController.java:


@PostMapping("/update-password")
public String updatePassword(
        @RequestParam("accountId") Long accountId,
        @RequestParam("newPassword") String newPassword,
        @RequestParam("confirmPassword") String confirmPassword,
        RedirectAttributes redirectAttributes) {

    if (!newPassword.equals(confirmPassword)) {
        redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("error", "Passwords do not match");
        return "redirect:/change-password?token=" + token;
    }

    Optional<Account> optionalAccount = accountService.findById(accountId);
    if (optionalAccount.isPresent()) {
        Account account = optionalAccount.get();
        account.setPassword(passwordEncoder.encode(newPassword));
        account.setPasswordResetToken(null);
        account.setTokenExpiry(null);
        accountService.save(account);
        redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("success", "Password updated successfully");
        return "redirect:/login";
    } else {
        redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("error", "Account not found");
        return "redirect:/forgot-password";
    }
}

@PostMapping("/update-password")

public String updatePassword(

@RequestParam("accountId") Long accountId,

@RequestParam("newPassword") String newPassword,

@RequestParam("confirmPassword") String confirmPassword,

RedirectAttributes redirectAttributes) {

if (!newPassword.equals(confirmPassword)) {

redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("error", "Passwords do not match");

return "redirect:/change-password?token=" + token;

}

Optional<Account> optionalAccount = accountService.findById(accountId);

if (optionalAccount.isPresent()) {

Account account = optionalAccount.get();

account.setPassword(passwordEncoder.encode(newPassword));

account.setPasswordResetToken(null);

account.setTokenExpiry(null);

accountService.save(account);

redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("success", "Password updated successfully");

return "redirect:/login";

} else {

redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("error", "Account not found");

return "redirect:/forgot-password";

}

Explanation:
- Password Matching: Ensures that the new password and confirmation match.
- Password Encoding: Uses passwordEncoder to securely hash the new password before storing.
- Token Invalidation: Clears the reset token and its expiry after a successful password update.
- User Feedback: Provides appropriate success or error messages based on the operation outcome.

Conclusion

Implementing a password change functionality in a Spring Boot application is a critical step toward ensuring user account security and enhancing overall user experience. This guide provided a comprehensive walkthrough, from setting up the project and updating the account model to implementing controllers, handling tokens, creating views, and testing the functionality.

Key Takeaways

Security First: Always prioritize security when handling user credentials and reset tokens.
User Experience: Design intuitive and responsive interfaces to facilitate seamless password management.
Thorough Testing: Regularly test all aspects of the feature to ensure reliability and security.

By following the steps outlined in this eBook, you can confidently implement a secure and efficient password change feature in your Spring Boot applications.

Keywords: Spring Boot password change, Spring Boot password reset, Spring Security, password reset token, account security, Spring Boot tutorial, user authentication, Spring Data JPA, Thymeleaf forms, password update functionality.

Note: This article is AI-generated.

S08L07 – Password change in Spring boot

Implementing Password Change Functionality in Spring Boot: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of Contents

Introduction

Importance and Purpose

Pros and Cons

When and Where to Use

Comparison Table: Password Reset vs. Password Change

Usage Table: Scenarios for Implementing Password Features

Setting Up Your Spring Boot Project

Prerequisites

Creating the Spring Boot Application

Project Structure Overview

Updating the Account Model

Adding the Token Field

Migrating the Database

Implementing the Account Controller

Adding the Change Password Endpoint

Key Concepts and Terminology

Handling Password Reset Tokens

Creating the Token Generation Method

Repository Method for Token Lookup

Security Considerations

Creating the Password Change View

Designing the change_password.html Template

Diagram: Password Change Workflow

Key Features

Testing the Password Change Functionality

Steps to Test

Example Output

Code Snippets with Comments

Conclusion

Key Takeaways