Is there a compatibility matrix of Spring-boot and Spring-cloud?

I am wondering if a compatibility matrix exists between Springboot and Springcloud?

I created a simple project on STS and am running into compatibility issues.

   <parent>
		<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
		<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
		<version>1.5.1.RELEASE</version>
		<relativePath /> <!-- lookup parent from repository -->
	</parent>


<dependencyManagement>
	<dependencies>
		<dependency>
			<groupId>org.springframework.cloud</groupId>
			<artifactId>spring-cloud-dependencies</artifactId>
			<version>Camden.SR5</version>
			<type>pom</type>
			<scope>import</scope>
		</dependency>
	</dependencies>
</dependencyManagement>

Having a good view of the supported versions of both Springboot and Springcloud will make things simpler.

I did observe an open issue that talks about this need - https://github.com/spring-cloud/spring-cloud-build/issues/43

Does the community have an approach on how they choose to get started on a specific version combination when they embark on a SpringCloud project?

Edit: Adding another instance of such a problem that I encountered since yesterday

snippets from pom.xml

<parent>
		<groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
		<artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
		 <version>1.5.2.RELEASE</version>
		<!--<version>1.5.2.RELEASE</version> -->
		<relativePath /> <!-- lookup parent from repository -->
	</parent>


	<dependencyManagement>
		<dependencies>
			<dependency>
				<groupId>org.springframework.cloud</groupId>
				<artifactId>spring-cloud-dependencies</artifactId>
				<!-- <version>Camden.SR6</version -->
				<!-- <version>Brixton.SR5</version> -->
				<!--  <version>Camden.SR6</version> -->
				<version>Camden.SR5</version>
				<type>pom</type>
				<scope>import</scope>
			</dependency>
		</dependencies>
	</dependencyManagement>

There are no maven errors in using 1.5.2.RELEASE with Camden.SR5 however when the app starts it throws the NoClassDefFoundError.

2017-03-28 09:51:15.148 ERROR 15808 --- [           main] o.s.boot.SpringApplication               : Application startup failed

java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: org/springframework/cloud/context/named/NamedContextFactory$Specification
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass1(Native Method) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(ClassLoader.java:763) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.security.SecureClassLoader.defineClass(SecureClassLoader.java:142) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.net.URLClassLoader.defineClass(URLClassLoader.java:467) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.net.URLClassLoader.access$100(URLClassLoader.java:73) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:368) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.net.URLClassLoader$1.run(URLClassLoader.java:362) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:361) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:424) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:331) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:357) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at org.springframework.cloud.netflix.feign.FeignClientsRegistrar.registerClientConfiguration(FeignClientsRegistrar.java:367) ~[spring-cloud-netflix-core-1.2.5.RELEASE.jar:1.2.5.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.cloud.netflix.feign.FeignClientsRegistrar.registerDefaultConfiguration(FeignClientsRegistrar.java:104) ~[spring-cloud-netflix-core-1.2.5.RELEASE.jar:1.2.5.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.cloud.netflix.feign.FeignClientsRegistrar.registerBeanDefinitions(FeignClientsRegistrar.java:87) ~[spring-cloud-netflix-core-1.2.5.RELEASE.jar:1.2.5.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassBeanDefinitionReader.loadBeanDefinitionsFromRegistrars(ConfigurationClassBeanDefinitionReader.java:352) ~[spring-context-4.3.7.RELEASE.jar:4.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassBeanDefinitionReader.loadBeanDefinitionsForConfigurationClass(ConfigurationClassBeanDefinitionReader.java:143) ~[spring-context-4.3.7.RELEASE.jar:4.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassBeanDefinitionReader.loadBeanDefinitions(ConfigurationClassBeanDefinitionReader.java:116) ~[spring-context-4.3.7.RELEASE.jar:4.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.processConfigBeanDefinitions(ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.java:320) ~[spring-context-4.3.7.RELEASE.jar:4.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.postProcessBeanDefinitionRegistry(ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.java:228) ~[spring-context-4.3.7.RELEASE.jar:4.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.support.PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.invokeBeanDefinitionRegistryPostProcessors(PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.java:270) ~[spring-context-4.3.7.RELEASE.jar:4.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.support.PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.java:93) ~[spring-context-4.3.7.RELEASE.jar:4.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(AbstractApplicationContext.java:686) ~[spring-context-4.3.7.RELEASE.jar:4.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:524) ~[spring-context-4.3.7.RELEASE.jar:4.3.7.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.context.embedded.EmbeddedWebApplicationContext.refresh(EmbeddedWebApplicationContext.java:122) ~[spring-boot-1.5.2.RELEASE.jar:1.5.2.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refresh(SpringApplication.java:737) [spring-boot-1.5.2.RELEASE.jar:1.5.2.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refreshContext(SpringApplication.java:370) [spring-boot-1.5.2.RELEASE.jar:1.5.2.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:314) [spring-boot-1.5.2.RELEASE.jar:1.5.2.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1162) [spring-boot-1.5.2.RELEASE.jar:1.5.2.RELEASE]
	at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1151) [spring-boot-1.5.2.RELEASE.jar:1.5.2.RELEASE]
	at com.forecastessentials.school.SchoolUniformForecastApplication.main(SchoolUniformForecastApplication.java:12) [classes/:na]
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: org.springframework.cloud.context.named.NamedContextFactory$Specification
	at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(URLClassLoader.java:381) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:424) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at sun.misc.Launcher$AppClassLoader.loadClass(Launcher.java:331) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:357) ~[na:1.8.0_112]
	... 31 common frames omitted

Using 1.4.5 with Brixton.SR6 is a combination that generally works well for me.

Updated in March 2022

Spring Cloud release train Spring Boot compatibility

Compatibility Matrix

Spring Cloud	Spring Boot
2022.0.0-M1	3.0.0-M1
2021.0.x aka Jubilee	2.6.x
2021.0.0-M2	2.6.0-M3
2020.0.3+ aka Ilford	2.4.x, 2.5.x
2020.0.x aka Ilford	2.4.x

⚠ Below Spring Cloud versions have all reached end of life status and are no longer supported.

Spring Cloud	Spring Boot
Hoxton.SR5+	2.2.x, 2.3.x
Hoxton	2.2.x
Greenwich	2.1.x
Finchley	2.0.x
Edgware	1.5.x
Dalston	1.5.x
Camden.SR5+	1.4.x, 1.5.x
Camden	1.4.x
Brixton	1.3.x, 1.4.x
Angel	1.2.x

Sources:

1. Spring Cloud project page
2. Spring Cloud 2021.0.0-M2 (codename Jubilee) is Available
3. Spring Cloud 2021.0.0 (codename Jubilee) Has Been Released
4. Spring Cloud Roadmap and EOL Announcements
5. 2022.0.0-M1 PRE reference doc

Here is the release train Spring Boot compatibility table. Below the table, there is a note that the Camden release train builds on Spring Boot 1.4.x, but is also tested with 1.5.x.

You can also read the release notes for each release which notes compatible component versions:

> Spring Cloud Camden builds on Spring Boot 1.4.x.

But later:

> Adds Boot 1.5 compatibility and breaks Boot 1.3 compatibility

Yes there is: http://start.spring.io/actuator/info

It includes more libraries than just spring-cloud, but not every single one of them.

2021 and it still is tedious to find the latest matching versions of Spring Boot and Spring Cloud... Here a procedure:

1. Look up the compatibility matrix in https://spring.io/projects/spring-cloud the Release Trains table, it shows which Spring Boot and Spring Cloud Release Train versions match. Release Trains as of 2022-05-19:
   
   
2. Klick on the link in the "Release Train" column to reach the Spring Cloud release notes, where the latest "Release Train" versions are mentioned.
   E.g.: "Hoxton ==> Hoxton.SR12".
   
   Alternatively:
   find the latest matching Spring Cloud Release Train version in https://github.com/spring-cloud/spring-cloud-release/tags.
3. Pick the value from the "Boot Version" column and look up the highest matching version in the Spring Boot releases, here: https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-boot/releases or (faster) here: https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-boot/tags.<br/> Example continued: "==> v2.3.12.RELEASE".

Another info source is the Spring Blog category "releases": https://spring.io/blog/category/releases, but imho that is a bit ... confusing.

I found a way to get the exact version compatibility between spring boot and spring cloud.

Just visit this URL: https://start.spring.io/actuator/info

spring-cloud": {
"Hoxton.SR12": "Spring Boot >=2.2.0.RELEASE and <2.4.0.M1",
"2020.0.5": "Spring Boot >=2.4.0.M1 and <2.6.0-M1",
"2021.0.0-M1": "Spring Boot >=2.6.0-M1 and <2.6.0-M3",
"2021.0.0-M3": "Spring Boot >=2.6.0-M3 and <2.6.0-RC1",
"2021.0.0-RC1": "Spring Boot >=2.6.0-RC1 and <2.6.1",
"2021.0.1": "Spring Boot >=2.6.1 and <2.6.5-SNAPSHOT",
"2021.0.2-SNAPSHOT": "Spring Boot >=2.6.5-SNAPSHOT and <3.0.0-M1",
"2022.0.0-M1": "Spring Boot >=3.0.0-M1 and <3.1.0-M1"
},