> Markdown version of [Next Steps](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/getting-started/next-steps). Section index: [llms.txt](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/getting-started/llms.txt)

# Expand Your Application

You now have a working application with a Vaadin UI, built either in the [Tutorial](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/getting-started/tutorial.md) or the [Quick Start](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/getting-started/quick-start.md). The next step is to turn it into an application that you can put in front of real users. The [Building Apps](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps.md) section of the documentation has guides for this. These are the ones most applications need next.

Like the Tutorial, Building Apps uses Spring Boot. If your application runs on another platform, the guides about the UI apply as they are, and the [Integrations](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/flow/integrations.md) reference covers what differs.

## <a id="build-your-user-interface"></a>Build Your User Interface

Learn how to arrange components with layouts, and how sizing works inside them, in the [Arrange with Layouts](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/ui-basics/layouts.md) guide. To change how your application looks, see [Add Styling](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/ui-basics/add-styling.md). The [UI Basics](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/ui-basics.md) guides cover these and other building blocks, such as dialogs, notifications, and keyboard shortcuts.

## <a id="add-views-navigation"></a>Add Views & Navigation

Expand your application by adding more views, a navigation menu, and ways to pass data between views. See the [Views & Navigation](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/views.md) guides for step-by-step instructions.

## <a id="add-data"></a>Add Data

Learn more about forms, validation, and grids, and about loading and saving data consistently, by following the [Forms & Data](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/forms-data.md) guides.

## <a id="implement-security"></a>Implement Security

Secure your application with user authentication and authorization. Refer to the [Security](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/security.md) guides to learn how. To let users log in with the account they already have at your organization’s identity provider, see [Connect an Identity Provider](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/security/connect-identity-provider.md).

## <a id="use-a-real-database"></a>Use a Real Database

The tutorial uses an in-memory H2 database, which loses its data when the application stops. Replace it with a production-ready database, and manage its schema with migrations. Follow the [Add Flyway](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/forms-data/persistence/add-flyway.md) and [Replace H2](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/forms-data/persistence/replace-h2.md) guides for details.

## <a id="test-your-application"></a>Test Your Application

Verify that your views behave as intended with browserless tests, which run against your Java components without starting a browser. See the [Testing](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/testing.md) guides to get started.

## <a id="deploy-to-production"></a>Deploy to Production

The [Production](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/production.md) guides take your application to production step by step. They show how to build it for production, configure it, package it in a container, run it behind a reverse proxy, add health checks and metrics, and build it on a CI server.

Before you decide how to deploy, read [How Vaadin Works at Runtime](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/architecture/runtime-model.md). Vaadin keeps the UI state of each user in server memory, which affects load balancing, scaling, and redeployment. To deploy to a servlet container or to a specific cloud provider, see the [Deploying to Production](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/flow/production.md) reference.

## <a id="plan-for-licensing-upgrades"></a>Plan for Licensing & Upgrades

Check which of the features your application uses need a commercial subscription, and how often you need to upgrade to stay on a maintained version. [Licensing, Support & Maintenance](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/architecture/licensing-and-maintenance.md) covers both. [Supported Technologies](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/compatibility.md) lists the minimum versions of Java, Spring Boot, and other technologies, and the [Upgrading Guide](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/upgrading.md) lists the changes to make when you upgrade.

## <a id="use-an-ai-coding-agent"></a>Use an AI Coding Agent

If you develop with an AI coding agent such as Claude Code or Codex, give it Vaadin’s documentation through the [Vaadin MCP server](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/agentic-development/mcp.md). Then follow the [Dev Loop Tutorial](https://vaadin.com/docs/latest/building-apps/agentic-development/dev-loop-tutorial.md) to let the agent edit your running application and verify its own changes, without restarts or screenshots.