How to return a html page from a restful controller in spring boot?

Follow below steps:

1. Must put the html files in resources/templates/

2. Replace the @RestController with @Controller

3. Remove if you are using any view resolvers.

4. Your controller method should return file name of view without extension like return "index"

5. Include the below dependencies:

   <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
   </dependency>
   <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-thymeleaf</artifactId>
   </dependency>
   <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-boot-devtools</artifactId>
   </dependency>`
   

When using @RestController like this:

@RestController
public class HomeController {

    @RequestMapping("/")
    public String welcome() {
        return "login";
    }
}

This is the same as you do like this in a normal controller:

@Controller
public class HomeController {

    @RequestMapping("/")
    @ResponseBody
    public String welcome() {
        return "login";
    }
}

Using @ResponseBody returns return "login"; as a String object. Any object you return will be attached as payload in the HTTP body as JSON.

This is why you are getting just login in the response.