Documentation / Setup / Testing

application-test.properties / application-test.yaml

For new applications, prefer explicit test startup using Database.builder() and regular test configuration files such as src/test/resources/application-test.properties or src/test/resources/application-test.yaml.

Keep the test datasource configuration in those files and create the Database explicitly in your test wiring.

Database database = Database.builder()
  .name("db")
  .loadFromProperties()
  .defaultDatabase(true)
  .build();

ebean-test

For integration tests, prefer docs / testing and ebean-test. It provides Docker-backed databases, test-specific platform configuration, and a much better path than older implicit bootstrap approaches.

Mocking

If your application code depends on injected Database instances then testing is straightforward: replace the injected dependency with a test double or alternative test wiring.

Older applications that rely on Model, active-record style APIs, or the global registry may still need to register a default database for compatibility. For new code, prefer explicit Database injection over singleton-based access.