1# App Configuration — Java SDK Quick Reference
2 
3> Condensed from **azure-appconfiguration-java**. Full patterns (feature flags,
4> secret references, snapshots, async client, conditional requests)
5> in the **azure-appconfiguration-java** plugin skill if installed.
6 
7## Install
8```xml
9<dependency>
10    <groupId>com.azure</groupId>
11    <artifactId>azure-data-appconfiguration</artifactId>
12    <version>1.8.0</version>
13</dependency>
14<dependency>
15    <groupId>com.azure</groupId>
16    <artifactId>azure-identity</artifactId>
17</dependency>
18```
19 
20## Quick Start
21 
22> **Auth:** `DefaultAzureCredential` is for local development. See [auth-best-practices.md](../auth-best-practices.md) for production patterns.
23 
24```java
25import com.azure.data.appconfiguration.ConfigurationClientBuilder;
26import com.azure.identity.DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder;
27var client = new ConfigurationClientBuilder()
28    .credential(new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder().build())
29    .endpoint(System.getenv("AZURE_APPCONFIG_ENDPOINT"))
30    .buildClient();
31```
32 
33## Best Practices
34- Use labels — separate configurations by environment (Dev, Staging, Production)
35- Use snapshots — create immutable snapshots for releases
36- Feature flags — use for gradual rollouts and A/B testing
37- Secret references — store sensitive values in Key Vault
38- Conditional requests — use ETags for optimistic concurrency
39- Read-only protection — lock critical production settings
40- Use Entra ID — preferred over connection strings
41- Async client — use for high-throughput scenarios
42