How to Deploy Nacos Server and Integrate It with Spring Cloud

Nacos Server Deployment from Source

Prerequisites: JDK 1.8+ and Maven 3.2.x+. Clone the official repository, build with Maven profile release-nacos while skipping tests, then locate the generated distribution.

git clone https://github.com/alibaba/nacos.git
cd nacos
mvn -Prelease-nacos -Dmaven.test.skip=true clean install -U
ls -al distribution/target/
cd distribution/target/nacos-server-<em>VERSION</em>/nacos/bin

In the bin directory there are startup scripts for Linux/Unix/Mac ( startup.sh), Ubuntu ( bash startup.sh) and Windows ( startup.cmd). Start a single‑node instance with the -m standalone flag:

# Linux/Unix/Mac
sh startup.sh -m standalone
# Ubuntu
bash startup.sh -m standalone
# Windows
startup.cmd -m standalone

Alternatively launch the server programmatically by invoking the main method of the Nacos class and setting the JVM property -Dnacos.standalone=true:

public class Nacos {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.setProperty(Constants.STANDALONE_MODE_PROPERTY_NAME, "true");
        SpringApplication.run(Nacos.class, args);
    }
}

Management Console

When the server starts it prints the console URL. By default the UI is reachable at http://127.0.0.1:8848/nacos/index.html. The default credentials are user nacos and password nacos. The console provides modules for configuration management, service discovery, permission management, namespaces and cluster management.

Basic Operations via REST API (cURL)

Register a service instance (the instance will be removed automatically when health checks fail):

curl -X POST 'http://127.0.0.1:8848/nacos/v1/ns/instance?serviceName=nacos.naming.serviceName&ip=20.18.7.10&port=8080'

Query registered instances :

curl -X GET 'http://127.0.0.1:8848/nacos/v1/ns/instance/list?serviceName=nacos.naming.serviceName'

Publish a configuration (dataId, group and content are user‑defined):

curl -X POST "http://127.0.0.1:8848/nacos/v1/cs/configs?dataId=nacos.cfg.dataId&group=test&content=HelloWorld"

Retrieve a configuration :

curl -X GET "http://127.0.0.1:8848/nacos/v1/cs/configs?dataId=nacos.cfg.dataId&group=test"

Integration with Spring Cloud

Create a Spring Boot project and add Spring Cloud and Spring Cloud Alibaba dependencies. The following pom.xml is a minimal example (Spring Boot 2.4.2, Spring Cloud 2020.0.0, Alibaba Cloud 2021.1):

<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 https://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
    <parent>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
        <version>2.4.2</version>
    </parent>
    <groupId>com.springcloud</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-cloud-alibaba-nacos</artifactId>
    <version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
    <properties>
        <java.version>1.8</java.version>
        <spring-cloud.version>2020.0.0</spring-cloud.version>
        <cloud-alibaba.version>2021.1</cloud-alibaba.version>
    </properties>
    <dependencyManagement>
        <dependencies>
            <dependency>
                <groupId>org.springframework.cloud</groupId>
                <artifactId>spring-cloud-dependencies</artifactId>
                <version>${spring-cloud.version}</version>
                <type>pom</type>
                <scope>import</scope>
            </dependency>
            <dependency>
                <groupId>com.alibaba.cloud</groupId>
                <artifactId>spring-cloud-alibaba-dependencies</artifactId>
                <version>${cloud-alibaba.version}</version>
                <type>pom</type>
                <scope>import</scope>
            </dependency>
        </dependencies>
    </dependencyManagement>
    <dependencies>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-actuator</artifactId>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.alibaba.cloud</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-cloud-starter-alibaba-nacos-discovery</artifactId>
        </dependency>
    </dependencies>
    <build>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
                <artifactId>spring-boot-maven-plugin</artifactId>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </build>
</project>

Configure the Nacos discovery address in src/main/resources/application.yml:

spring:
  application:
    name: nacos-spring-cloud-learn
  cloud:
    nacos:
      discovery:
        server-addr: 127.0.0.1:8848

Run the Spring Boot application. The service registers automatically with the Nacos server; the registration can be verified in the console or by the same curl query used earlier.

Key Points

Source‑code deployment provides a clear learning path and ensures consistent module versions.

Standalone mode is started with -m standalone or JVM property -Dnacos.standalone=true.

REST APIs cover service registration, instance query, configuration publishing and retrieval.

Spring Cloud integration requires compatible versions of Spring Boot, Spring Cloud and Alibaba Cloud; compatibility tables are available on the Spring Cloud project site.

The default namespace is public and default credentials are nacos/nacos.