Can you explain what happens during compilation in the context of Spring Boot?

During compilation in the Spring Boot context, several key stages occur:

1. Java source code is compiled into bytecode (.class files) using the standard Java compiler.
2. Spring Boot uses annotations (e.g., @SpringBootApplication, @Component, @Autowired) for automatic configuration and component wiring.
3. During build (e.g., with Maven or Gradle), these annotations are processed, metadata is generated, and an executable JAR file with an embedded server (e.g., Tomcat) is prepared.

It is important to understand that most of the "magic" of Spring Boot does not happen during compilation but at application startup — when the Spring container scans classes, creates beans, and configures dependencies.

Thus, compilation transforms code into bytecode and prepares the application for launch, while Spring Boot adds automatic configuration and packaging.