Ten Signs You’re Spending Too Much Time with Quarkus (and Why That’s a Great Thing)
From skipping coffee to loving YAML. How a Java framework accidentally improved my health, mindset, and workflow.
You started using Quarkus for one project. Now you're dropping @Inject into shopping lists, your apps launch faster than your phone, and you’re feeling suspiciously productive. Is it too much?
Just two short years ago, my body made the decision for me to take my health more seriously. What has a longer backstory turned into a positive journey. I started walking regularly. Moved into running. First just short distances, then more regularly and before long, it became a daily habit. The clarity, focus, and energy it brought to my work were undeniable. As I got fitter, I also noticed something funny: I was writing better code, shipping faster, and feeling less stressed. Turns out, when you're not wired on five coffees a day and you’re regularly getting fresh air, everything just flows better. If you're on a similar path or curious about it, feel free to follow my journey on Strava. I’m always happy to connect with fellow dev-runners.
At the same time, my professional world revolves around developer productivity, especially through tools like Quarkus, which is designed to make life easier for Java developers. The overlap between physical wellness and mental flow in software development got me thinking: what if Quarkus isn’t just good for our codebases, but also… kind of good for us, too? That’s how this tongue-in-cheek article came to be. Each “sign” is rooted in a real Quarkus feature but also a small reflection on how the right tools can improve more than just our apps.
Here are ten signs you’re deep into the Quarkus life, and why that might actually be the healthiest decision you’ve made all year.
1. Your coffee intake has dropped dramatically.
Builds are so fast, you don’t need that second espresso to stay awake. With Dev Services auto-starting your databases and Kafka brokers, your local stack is ready before you even blink.
Feature behind the scenes: Dev Services
Outcome: Fewer delays, more focus, less caffeine.
Further reading: Dev Services explained
2. You told someone their outfit has “Panache.”
You meant it as a compliment: Elegant, streamlined, and expressive. Turns out, that’s just how you think about code now. You’ve internalized Quarkus’ JPA-with-style.
Feature behind the scenes: Hibernate ORM with Panache
Outcome: Cleaner, more readable data layers.
Further reading: Getting started with Panache
3. You question reality when your app restarts instantly.
Live reload, continuous testing, and fast feedback loops mean your app updates before you can even alt-tab. Waiting is now a distant memory.
Feature behind the scenes: Live reload + Continuous Testing
Outcome: Unmatched iteration speed = higher code quality and better flow state.
Further reading: Quarkus Continuous Testing
4. You opened a Spring Boot project and felt a bit... sad.
After living in Quarkus' supersonic world, waiting 20 seconds for startup feels medieval. You double-check your laptop isn't in power-saving mode.
Feature behind the scenes: Starting fast by doing less: the build-time principle
Outcome: Cold starts in milliseconds, not seconds.
Further reading: Quarkus Performance
5. You use @Inject in your shopping list.
You’re thinking in Quarkus annotations now. Your groceries don’t auto-wire themselves, but you kind of wish they did.
Feature behind the scenes: CDI (Contexts and Dependency Injection)
Outcome: Declarative thinking = clearer, modular design patterns.
Further reading: Dependency injection guide
6. Your “Happy Place” is localhost:8080/q/dev.
No more fiddling with Postman or curling endpoints. The Dev UI gives you all the tools, endpoints, and configs in one click.
Feature behind the scenes: Quarkus Dev UI
Outcome: Less friction, more visibility.
Further reading: Using the Dev UI
7. You think YAML is... fun?
YAML doesn’t scare you anymore. Quarkus Config makes it clean and smooth enough to almost enjoy it.
Feature behind the scenes: MicroProfile Config
Outcome: Confidence working across environments.
Further reading: Quarkus configuration reference
8. You’re not afraid of Kubernetes anymore.
You’re deploying straight to Kubernetes with a single command. Quarkus handles the manifests, probes, and ports like a pro.
Feature behind the scenes: Kubernetes extensions
Outcome: More control with less boilerplate.
Further reading: Kubernetes guide
9. You’ve got more GitHub stars than hours of sleep.
Your side project finally shipped. You wrote, tested, and deployed it faster than you thought possible. Now it’s live, and people actually use it.
Feature behind the scenes: Developer productivity tooling
Outcome: More time to build, contribute, and grow your personal brand.
Further reading: Writing CLI and REST apps with Quarkus
10. You brag that your app wakes up faster than you do.
You know what your app does on cold start? Wins. Whether you’re deploying serverless, scaling in the cloud, or running edge workloads: It’s always ready.
Feature behind the scenes: Quarkus Native + Fast Startup Time
Outcome: Low latency, low cost, high satisfaction.
Further reading: Measuring Performance
It’s Not Obsession. It’s Just Good Engineering.
If you’re showing these signs, don’t worry. It means you’ve found a stack that respects your time, energy, and brainpower. Quarkus isn’t just fast for your app; it’s fast for you.
Want to learn more?
Start coding: code.quarkus.io